Tsunami Death Toll Rises to 650

424 0 63

The death toll in the tsunami that struck the Indonesian island of Java has risen to more than 650.

Around 100 new bodies have been found in recent days, the national disaster agency said. More than 300 people are still missing after Monday's disaster.

The tsunami, triggered by an undersea earthquake, struck a 200km (125-mile) stretch of Java's southern coast.

Towns hardest hit are showing signs of a return to normal, but many people are still too scared to return home.

A second earthquake on Wednesday night caused further panic among residents.

Health officials are worried about the threat of disease among the several thousands of people who are camping out in the hills above the tsunami-hit area, Reuters news agency reports.

"The risk of catching diseases is there because they live in an open area with limited tents and water," Rustan Pakaya, of the health ministry's crisis centre, told Reuters.

He said people were being given injections to protect them from diseases such as measles, tetanus and cholera.

Market open

But while people are opting to spend the night in temporary camps, they are returning to towns during the day to pick up supplies, district officials say.

Many businesses in Pangandaran - the town hardest hit by the disaster - have begun to open up again.

Related Articles