Search for Survivors from Java Tsunami

I received a call from Candika in Yogyakarta and she was telling me that rather large waves had struck the beaches in the Parangtritis area sixty kilometres south of the city. Meanwhile the search goes on in Pangandaran for survivors there.

Desperate villagers and soldiers dug through destroyed homes and hotels looking for survivors of a tsunami on Java island as the death toll rose to at least 360.

Scores more were missing and at least 23,000 people had fled their homes either because they were destroyed or in fear of another tsunami in the worst-hit area of Pangandaran on WestJava's southern coast.

The tsunami triggered by a magnitude 7.7 earthquake crashed into a 177 kilometer stretch of the coast on Monday without warning sending boats, cars and motorbikes crashing into resorts and fishing villages.

"I don't mind losing any of my property but please God return my son" said Basril a villager as he and his wife tearfully searched though mounds of debris piled up on the beach at Pangandaran a resort area popular with foreign tourists.

Nearby, the body of a woman lay on the beach covered with a mat.

At least 172 people were killed and 85 others were missing in the Panganderan area. A Pakistani national, a Swedish national and a Dutch national were among the dead but officials did not give their genders.

State news agency Antara said 41 other people had died in neighbouring Cilacap regency in Central Java province.
Thirteen others died elsewhere along the coast, officials said.