Indonesia counts its dead and fears renewed tsunami

The number of tsunami victims has risen in the straits between Indonesia's Sumatra and Java islands, while new tsunami fears have arisen from other possible landslides in the volcano believed to have caused the disaster.

A spokesman for Indonesia's National Disaster Management Agency said the death toll on Monday rose to 373 dead and 1,400 injured, while 128 were missing.

Authorities have warned residents not to approach the beaches near the 30,000-meter-high Anak Krakatao mountain volcano, fearing it could trigger new tsunamis.

The volcano is believed to have caused landslides on the seabed that led to the tsunami that hit Saturday night - with no prior warning - the Sunda Strait, and swept hundreds of homes and tourist facilities near the beaches in South Sumatra and West Java.

Al-Jazeera correspondent Suhaib Jassim said there are fears of a new collapse in the wall of the summit of the volcano of Anak Krakatau. The scientific explanation for the disaster is a collapse at the top of the volcano. The area of ​​the volcano is 64 hectares, , Causing a strong tide towards the coasts of Banten and neighboring provinces.

He also said that the authorities issued a warning to citizens not to return to their areas near the coast in the affected areas until Wednesday evening, associated with the seasonal waves that arise from storms and night winds in particular, and also to the presence of tides, with the possibility of collapse at the top of Mount Anak Krakatau volcanic.

Research and relief
Meanwhile, rescue and relief operations have increased for tens of thousands of people affected by the new tsunami. Rescuers are searching for potential survivors among the missing and picking up dead bodies to help people who have lost their homes.

Closed roads continue to hinder rescue efforts and the transport of heavy lifting equipment to the affected areas, the National Disaster Management Agency said. According to the agency, about 12 thousand people have been displaced by the disaster.

For his part, Indonesian President Goku Widodo called on citizens to be cautious in the current situation, after the tsunami hit the coastal areas bordering the Sunda Strait.

During a visit to the affected areas, Widodo said evacuations and treatment of the injured were continuing. Al Jazeera correspondent noted that parties and political figures moved to support the relief operations, and that this move may be motivated by elections because the elections will be held in April.

The tsunami was accompanied by an earthquake that hit Indonesia's Sulawesi island in September, killing 2100 people, according to an official toll. Indonesia is located in a seismic zone known as the belt of fire.