Indonesia will carry out cloud seeding on Friday in a bid to prevent further rainfall over the capital <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/death-toll-in-indonesia-flood-rises-to-21-thousands-displaced-271513">Jakarta</a>, after deadly flash floods and landslides following some of the heaviest rains ever recorded.

The death toll in Jakarta and surrounding areas rose to 43 as of Friday, the country's disaster mitigation agency said, while tens of thousands of people have been displaced.

Watch: Severe floods hit Indonesia

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The toll <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/indonesia-floods-nearly-30-people-dead-several-missing-271670">increased</a> from 30 on Thursday night.

The floods followed torrential rains on December 31 and into the early hours of New Year's day that inundated swathes of Jakarta and nearby towns, home to about 30 million people.

The deluge at the start of 2020 was "one of the most extreme rainfall" events since records began in 1866, the country's Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) said in a statement on Friday.

<img alt="Indonesia Floods" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e77aa948-d52e-4bbf-a82e-316fc981cb9d" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2820%29_1.jpg" />

The agency said climate change has increased risk of extreme weather.

With more rain forecast, two small planes have been readied to break up potential rain clouds in the skies above the Sunda Strait, while a bigger plane will be on standby, Indonesia's technology agency BPPT said in a statement.

"All clouds moving towards the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/death-toll-in-indonesia-flood-rises-to-21-thousands-displaced-271513">Greater Jakarta</a> area, which is estimated to lead to precipitation there, will be shot with NaCl (sodium chloride) material," the agency said.

"Hopefully they will break before they reach the Greater Jakarta area."

Cloud Seeding, or shooting salt flares into clouds in an attempt to trigger rainfall, is often used in Indonesia to put out forest fires during the dry season.

The BMKG has warned that "extreme weather" may continue until January&nbsp;7, while heavy rainfall could last through to mid-February.

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Television footage on Friday showed floodwaters still inundating some areas of Southeast Asia's largest city.

Authorities on Thursday used hundreds of pumps to suck water out of residential areas and public infrastructure, like railways.

President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/indonesia-two-hurt-in-suspected-grenade-blast-near-presidential-palace-265828">Joko Widodo</a> blamed delays in flood control infrastructure projects for the disaster, including the construction of a canal that has been delayed since 2017 due to land acquisition problems.

Widodo last year announced he will move Indonesia's capital to East Kalimantan province on Borneo island, to reduce the burden on Jakarta, which is overpopulated and sinking.

More than 50 people died in one of the capital's deadliest floods in 2007 and five years ago much of the centre of the city was inundated after canals overflowed.

Indonesia will carry out cloud seeding on Friday in a bid to prevent further rainfall over the capital Jakarta, after deadly flash floods and landslides following some of the heaviest rains ever recorded.

Indonesia will carry out cloud seeding on Friday in a bid to prevent further rainfall over the capital Jakarta, after deadly flash floods and landslides following some of the heaviest rains ever recorded. The death toll in Jakarta and surrounding areas rose to 43 as of Friday, the country's disaster mitigation agency said, while tens of thousands of people have been displaced. Watch: Severe floods hit Indonesia × The toll increased from 30 on Thursday night. The floods followed torrential rains on December 31 and into the early hours of New Year's day that inundated swathes of Jakarta and nearby towns, home to about 30 million people. The deluge at the start of 2020 was "one of the most extreme rainfall" events since records began in 1866, the country's Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) said in a statement on Friday. The agency said climate change has increased risk of extreme weather. With more rain forecast, two small planes have been readied to break up potential rain clouds in the skies above the Sunda Strait, while a bigger plane will be on standby, Indonesia's technology agency BPPT said in a statement. "All clouds moving towards the Greater Jakarta area, which is estimated to lead to precipitation there, will be shot with NaCl (sodium chloride) material," the agency said. "Hopefully they will break before they reach the Greater Jakarta area." Cloud Seeding, or shooting salt flares into clouds in an attempt to trigger rainfall, is often used in Indonesia to put out forest fires during the dry season. The BMKG has warned that "extreme weather" may continue until January 7, while heavy rainfall could last through to mid-February. Television footage on Friday showed floodwaters still inundating some areas of Southeast Asia's largest city. Authorities on Thursday used hundreds of pumps to suck water out of residential areas and public infrastructure, like railways. President Joko Widodo blamed delays in flood control infrastructure projects for the disaster, including the construction of a canal that has been delayed since 2017 due to land acquisition problems. Widodo last year announced he will move Indonesia's capital to East Kalimantan province on Borneo island, to reduce the burden on Jakarta, which is overpopulated and sinking. More than 50 people died in one of the capital's deadliest floods in 2007 and five years ago much of the centre of the city was inundated after canals overflowed.

Indonesia Floods: 'Cloud Seeding' to halt rain, floods death toll rises to 43

A tsunami killed at least 62 people and injured hundreds on the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra following an underwater landslide caused by the eruption of Anak Krakatau, officials said on Sunday.

Hundreds of homes and other buildings were "heavily damaged" in the tsunami which struck along the rim of the Sunda Strait late on Saturday.&nbsp;

"Sixty-two people have died, 584 are injured, 20 missing," national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said.

"This number will continue to rise considering not all places have been checked."

It was <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-east-asia/death-toll-indonesia-quake-tsunami-doubles-832-final-number-could-be-thousands">the latest in a series of tragedies</a> that have struck Indonesia, a vast archipelago, this year. Successive earthquakes flattened parts of the tourist island of Lombok, and a double quake-and-tsunami killed thousands on Sulawesi island. Nearly 200 people died when a Lion Air passenger plane crashed into the Java Sea in October.

Authorities warned residents and tourists in coastal areas around the Sunda Strait to stay away from beaches and a high-tide warning remained in place through till Dec. 25.

"Please do not be around the beaches around the Sunda Strait. Those who have evacuated, please do not return yet," said Rahmat Triyono, an official at the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG).

TV footage showed roads blocked by debris from damaged houses, overturned cars and fallen trees. The water washed away an outdoor stage where a local rock band was performing, killing at least one musician. Others were missing.

On Dec. 26 in 2004, an Indian Ocean tsunami triggered by an earthquake killed 226,000 people in 13 countries, including more than 120,000 in Indonesia. The eruption of Krakatau in 1883 killed more than 36,000 people in a series of tsunamis.

Endan Permana, head of the disaster mitigation agency in Pandeglang, told Metro TV police were providing assistance to victims in Tanjung Lesung in Banten province, a popular tourist getaway not far from the capital, Jakarta, as emergency workers had not arrived.

The western coast of Banten province in Java was the worst-hit area so far, said Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman for the national disaster mitigation agency.

At least seven people were reported dead in Lampung in southern Sumatra.

Rescue workers and ambulances were finding it difficult to reach affected areas because some roads were blocked by debris, said Ketut Sukerta, head of the disaster agency in South Lampung.

'WASHED AWAY'

Around 250 employees of the state utility company PLN had gathered in Tanjung Lesung for an end-of-year event, company spokesman I Made Suprateka told Reuters. At least seven people were killed and many suffered broken bones, he said.

Dramatic TV footage showed the seconds when waves hit a concert at the event and washed away the stage where local rock band Seventeen was performing.

"The water washed away the stage which was located very close to the sea," the band said in a statement. "The water rose and dragged away everyone at the location. We have lost loved ones, including our bassist and manager...and others are missing."

The disaster mitigation agency said it was still compiling information on the disaster and there was a "possibility that data on the victims and damage will increase".

The tsunami was caused by "an undersea landslide resulting from volcanic activity on Anak Krakatau" and was exacerbated by abnormally high tide because of the full moon, disaster agency spokesman Nugroho said.

Ben van der Pluijm, an earthquake geologist and a professor in the University of Michigan, said the tsunami may have been caused by a "partial collapse" of Anak Krakatau.

"Instability of the slope of an active volcano can create a rock slide that moves a large volume of water, creating local tsunami waves that can be very powerful. This is like suddenly dropping a bag of sand in a tub filled with water," he said.

Anak Krakatau, an active volcano which is located roughly halfway between Java and Sumatra and has been spewing ash and lava for months, erupted again just after 9 p.m. on Saturday and the tsunami struck at around 9.30 p.m., according to BMKG.

Anak Krakatau is the island that emerged from an area once occupied by Krakatau, which was completely destroyed in the 1883 disaster. It first appeared in 1927 and has been growing ever since.

Coastal residents reported not seeing or feeling any warning signs, like receding water or an earthquake, before waves of up to two meters washed ashore, according to media.

Nugroho told Metro TV that tsunamis triggered by volcanic eruptions were "rare" and that the Sunda Strait tsunami had not resulted from an earthquake.

"There was no earthquake, and the Anak Krakatau eruption also wasn't that big," Nugroho told Metro TV, noting there were no "significant" seismic tremors to indicate a tsunami was coming.

The eruption created a column of volcanic ash up to 500 metres high.

A tsunami killed at least 62 people and injured hundreds on the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra following an underwater landslide caused by the eruption of Anak Krakatau, officials said on Sunday.

A tsunami killed at least 62 people and injured hundreds on the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra following an underwater landslide caused by the eruption of Anak Krakatau, officials said on Sunday. Hundreds of homes and other buildings were "heavily damaged" in the tsunami which struck along the rim of the Sunda Strait late on Saturday. "Sixty-two people have died, 584 are injured, 20 missing," national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said. "This number will continue to rise considering not all places have been checked." It was the latest in a series of tragedies that have struck Indonesia, a vast archipelago, this year. Successive earthquakes flattened parts of the tourist island of Lombok, and a double quake-and-tsunami killed thousands on Sulawesi island. Nearly 200 people died when a Lion Air passenger plane crashed into the Java Sea in October. Authorities warned residents and tourists in coastal areas around the Sunda Strait to stay away from beaches and a high-tide warning remained in place through till Dec. 25. "Please do not be around the beaches around the Sunda Strait. Those who have evacuated, please do not return yet," said Rahmat Triyono, an official at the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG). TV footage showed roads blocked by debris from damaged houses, overturned cars and fallen trees. The water washed away an outdoor stage where a local rock band was performing, killing at least one musician. Others were missing. On Dec. 26 in 2004, an Indian Ocean tsunami triggered by an earthquake killed 226,000 people in 13 countries, including more than 120,000 in Indonesia. The eruption of Krakatau in 1883 killed more than 36,000 people in a series of tsunamis. Endan Permana, head of the disaster mitigation agency in Pandeglang, told Metro TV police were providing assistance to victims in Tanjung Lesung in Banten province, a popular tourist getaway not far from the capital, Jakarta, as emergency workers had not arrived. The western coast of Banten province in Java was the worst-hit area so far, said Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman for the national disaster mitigation agency. At least seven people were reported dead in Lampung in southern Sumatra. Rescue workers and ambulances were finding it difficult to reach affected areas because some roads were blocked by debris, said Ketut Sukerta, head of the disaster agency in South Lampung. 'WASHED AWAY' Around 250 employees of the state utility company PLN had gathered in Tanjung Lesung for an end-of-year event, company spokesman I Made Suprateka told Reuters. At least seven people were killed and many suffered broken bones, he said. Dramatic TV footage showed the seconds when waves hit a concert at the event and washed away the stage where local rock band Seventeen was performing. "The water washed away the stage which was located very close to the sea," the band said in a statement. "The water rose and dragged away everyone at the location. We have lost loved ones, including our bassist and manager...and others are missing." The disaster mitigation agency said it was still compiling information on the disaster and there was a "possibility that data on the victims and damage will increase". The tsunami was caused by "an undersea landslide resulting from volcanic activity on Anak Krakatau" and was exacerbated by abnormally high tide because of the full moon, disaster agency spokesman Nugroho said. Ben van der Pluijm, an earthquake geologist and a professor in the University of Michigan, said the tsunami may have been caused by a "partial collapse" of Anak Krakatau. "Instability of the slope of an active volcano can create a rock slide that moves a large volume of water, creating local tsunami waves that can be very powerful. This is like suddenly dropping a bag of sand in a tub filled with water," he said. Anak Krakatau, an active volcano which is located roughly halfway between Java and Sumatra and has been spewing ash and lava for months, erupted again just after 9 p.m. on Saturday and the tsunami struck at around 9.30 p.m., according to BMKG. Anak Krakatau is the island that emerged from an area once occupied by Krakatau, which was completely destroyed in the 1883 disaster. It first appeared in 1927 and has been growing ever since. Coastal residents reported not seeing or feeling any warning signs, like receding water or an earthquake, before waves of up to two meters washed ashore, according to media. Nugroho told Metro TV that tsunamis triggered by volcanic eruptions were "rare" and that the Sunda Strait tsunami had not resulted from an earthquake. "There was no earthquake, and the Anak Krakatau eruption also wasn't that big," Nugroho told Metro TV, noting there were no "significant" seismic tremors to indicate a tsunami was coming. The eruption created a column of volcanic ash up to 500 metres high.

'Volcano' tsunami hits Indonesia, 62 dead, hundreds injured

A tsunami following a volcanic eruption killed at least 168 people when it slammed without warning into popular beaches around Indonesia's Sunda Strait on Saturday night, cutting a swathe of destruction and triggering mass panic as it swept inland.

Hundreds of buildings were destroyed by the wave, which hit the coast of southern Sumatra and the western tip of Java about 9:30 pm (1430 GMT) following the eruption of a volcano known as the "child" of the legendary Krakatoa, national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said.

Search and rescue teams were scouring rubble for survivors, with 168 confirmed dead, 745 people injured and 30 reported missing across three regions, he said.

Dramatic <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/shocking-video-shows-tsunami-rip-through-stage-as-band-performs-185966">video posted on social media showed a wall of water suddenly crashing into an open-air concert by pop group "Seventeen"</a>&nbsp;— hurling band members off the stage and then flooding into the audience.&nbsp;

In a tearful Instagram post, frontman Riefian Fajarsyah said the band's bassist and road manager had been killed.

Images of the aftermath of the tsunami in coastal areas show a trail of uprooted trees and debris strewn across beaches. A tangled mess of corrugated steel roofing, timber and rubble was dragged inland at Carita beach, a popular day-tripping spot on the west coast of Java.

<img alt="Indonesia tsunami" data-align="left" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="bfbcccd1-7fa4-4400-9fe5-50dbb8464a2a" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2826%29.jpg" />

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(A woman walks near her damaged home and injured residents are treated after Saturday's tsunami. Reuters)

Muhammad Bintang, who was at Carita beach when the wave hit, described a sudden surge of water that plunged the tourist spot into darkness.

"We arrived at 9pm for our holiday and suddenly the water came -- it went dark, the electricity is off," the 15-year-old told AFP. &nbsp;

"It's messy outside and we still cannot access the road."

In Lampung province, on the other side of the strait, Lutfi Al Rasyid said he fled the beach in Kalianda city in fear for his life.

"I could not start my motorbike so I left it and I ran... I just prayed and ran as far as I could," the 23-year-old told AFP.

Initial error 
Authorities say the tsunami may have been triggered by an abnormal tidal surge due to a new moon and an underwater landslide following the eruption of Anak Krakatoa, which forms a small island in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra.

"The combination caused a sudden tsunami that hit the coast," Nugroho said, but added that Indonesia's geological agency was working to ascertain exactly how it happened.

He added that the death toll would likely increase.

Video footage posted to social media by Nugroho showed panicked residents clutching flashlights and fleeing for higher ground.

Indonesian authorities initially claimed the wave was not a tsunami, but instead a tidal surge and urged the public not to panic.

Nugroho later apologised for the mistake on Twitter, saying because there was no earthquake it had been difficult to ascertain the cause of the incident early on.

"If there is an initial error we're sorry," he wrote.

The wave swamped parts of the coast around the Sunda Strait, but was most damaging in Pandeglang district, on Java's western tip, where at least 33 people died and 491 people were injured.

Three people died further north in Serang, while seven were killed in South Lampung, on Sumatra island.

Heavy equipment was being transported to badly-hit areas to help search for victims, Nugroho said, adding evacuation posts and public kitchens were being set up for evacuees.

Abu Salim, a member of the Tagana disaster volunteer group, said he helped evacuate victims in Banten province.

"We evacuated the victims who died and were injured, we took them to health clinics ... Most of them suffered from broken bones," he said, adding he feared more were missing.

Although relatively rare, submarine volcanic eruptions can cause tsunamis due to the sudden displacement of water or slope failure, according to the International Tsunami Information Centre.

Anak Krakatoa is a small volcanic island that emerged from the ocean half a century after Krakatoa's deadly 1883 eruption which killed more than 36,000 people.

According to Indonesia's geological agency, Anak Krakatoa had been showing signs of heightened activity for days, spewing plumes of ash thousands of metres into the air.

The volcano erupted again just after 9:00 pm on Saturday, the agency said.

An eruption just before 4:00 pm on Saturday lasted around 13 minutes and sent plumes of ash soaring hundreds of metres into the sky.

Indonesia, one of the most disaster-prone nations on earth, straddles the so-called Pacific "Ring of Fire", where tectonic plates collide and a large portion of the world's volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occur.

Most recently in the city of Palu on Sulawesi island a quake and tsunami in September killed thousands of people.

On December 26, 2004 a tsunami triggered by a magnitude 9.3 undersea earthquake off the coast of Sumatra in western Indonesia killed 220,000 people in countries around the Indian Ocean, including 168,000 in Indonesia.

Anak Krakatoa is one of 127 active volcanoes which run the length of the archipelago.&nbsp;

A tsunami following a volcanic eruption killed at least 168 people when it slammed without warning into popular beaches around Indonesia's Sunda Strait on Saturday night, cutting a swathe of destruction and triggering mass panic as it swept inland.

A tsunami following a volcanic eruption killed at least 168 people when it slammed without warning into popular beaches around Indonesia's Sunda Strait on Saturday night, cutting a swathe of destruction and triggering mass panic as it swept inland. Hundreds of buildings were destroyed by the wave, which hit the coast of southern Sumatra and the western tip of Java about 9:30 pm (1430 GMT) following the eruption of a volcano known as the "child" of the legendary Krakatoa, national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said. Search and rescue teams were scouring rubble for survivors, with 168 confirmed dead, 745 people injured and 30 reported missing across three regions, he said. Dramatic video posted on social media showed a wall of water suddenly crashing into an open-air concert by pop group "Seventeen" — hurling band members off the stage and then flooding into the audience. In a tearful Instagram post, frontman Riefian Fajarsyah said the band's bassist and road manager had been killed. Images of the aftermath of the tsunami in coastal areas show a trail of uprooted trees and debris strewn across beaches. A tangled mess of corrugated steel roofing, timber and rubble was dragged inland at Carita beach, a popular day-tripping spot on the west coast of Java. (A woman walks near her damaged home and injured residents are treated after Saturday's tsunami. Reuters) Muhammad Bintang, who was at Carita beach when the wave hit, described a sudden surge of water that plunged the tourist spot into darkness. "We arrived at 9pm for our holiday and suddenly the water came -- it went dark, the electricity is off," the 15-year-old told AFP. "It's messy outside and we still cannot access the road." In Lampung province, on the other side of the strait, Lutfi Al Rasyid said he fled the beach in Kalianda city in fear for his life. "I could not start my motorbike so I left it and I ran... I just prayed and ran as far as I could," the 23-year-old told AFP. Initial error Authorities say the tsunami may have been triggered by an abnormal tidal surge due to a new moon and an underwater landslide following the eruption of Anak Krakatoa, which forms a small island in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra. "The combination caused a sudden tsunami that hit the coast," Nugroho said, but added that Indonesia's geological agency was working to ascertain exactly how it happened. He added that the death toll would likely increase. Video footage posted to social media by Nugroho showed panicked residents clutching flashlights and fleeing for higher ground. Indonesian authorities initially claimed the wave was not a tsunami, but instead a tidal surge and urged the public not to panic. Nugroho later apologised for the mistake on Twitter, saying because there was no earthquake it had been difficult to ascertain the cause of the incident early on. "If there is an initial error we're sorry," he wrote. The wave swamped parts of the coast around the Sunda Strait, but was most damaging in Pandeglang district, on Java's western tip, where at least 33 people died and 491 people were injured. Three people died further north in Serang, while seven were killed in South Lampung, on Sumatra island. Heavy equipment was being transported to badly-hit areas to help search for victims, Nugroho said, adding evacuation posts and public kitchens were being set up for evacuees. Abu Salim, a member of the Tagana disaster volunteer group, said he helped evacuate victims in Banten province. "We evacuated the victims who died and were injured, we took them to health clinics ... Most of them suffered from broken bones," he said, adding he feared more were missing. Although relatively rare, submarine volcanic eruptions can cause tsunamis due to the sudden displacement of water or slope failure, according to the International Tsunami Information Centre. Anak Krakatoa is a small volcanic island that emerged from the ocean half a century after Krakatoa's deadly 1883 eruption which killed more than 36,000 people. According to Indonesia's geological agency, Anak Krakatoa had been showing signs of heightened activity for days, spewing plumes of ash thousands of metres into the air. The volcano erupted again just after 9:00 pm on Saturday, the agency said. An eruption just before 4:00 pm on Saturday lasted around 13 minutes and sent plumes of ash soaring hundreds of metres into the sky. Indonesia, one of the most disaster-prone nations on earth, straddles the so-called Pacific "Ring of Fire", where tectonic plates collide and a large portion of the world's volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occur. Most recently in the city of Palu on Sulawesi island a quake and tsunami in September killed thousands of people. On December 26, 2004 a tsunami triggered by a magnitude 9.3 undersea earthquake off the coast of Sumatra in western Indonesia killed 220,000 people in countries around the Indian Ocean, including 168,000 in Indonesia. Anak Krakatoa is one of 127 active volcanoes which run the length of the archipelago.

Death toll from Indonesia's 'volcano' tsunami rises to 168

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Indonesia Floods: 'Cloud Seeding' to halt rain, floods death toll rises to 43

'Volcano' tsunami hits Indonesia, 62 dead, hundreds injured

Death toll from Indonesia's 'volcano' tsunami rises to 168