Tsunami in Indonesia: 600 people died, missing

At least 113 people died and 502 people including mostly women and children disappeared when an Indonesian village was attacked by a tsunami after an earthquake off the island of Sumatra, authorities said today. ten).

People in West Sumatra island evacuated after an earthquake.(Photo: AP)

The 7.5-magnitude Ritcher earthquake last night (October 25) destroyed most of the buildings in Betu Monga village, according to Hardimansyah, an official with the local fisheries authority.

" About 200 people are living in that village, only 40 people are found. 160 others are still missing, mostly women and children," he told Reuters by phone. "Local people reported that they could not keep their children, and they were swept away. A lot of people were crying ."

Hardimansyah said that in the neighboring village of Malakopa, at least one person was confirmed dead and two others were missing. Up to 80% of houses in the area are affected. Salaries are very few.

Local police are quickly searching for missing people. They set up many emergency stations, said officer Ronald of Sikakap district police station. " We know in advance that people will need food and shelter. Rain is pouring down, the wind is very big ."

Mudjiarto, head of the Indonesian Ministry of Health's disaster response unit, said two bodies were found near Sipora Island and some were still missing. According to Mudjiarto, in Nam Pagai Island, waves are about 600m deep into the coastal villages while in North Pagai Island, the waves soar to the roof of the people.

What just happened caused many people to think of the 2004 tsunami. (Photo of NZ Herald)

In a statement, Australian authorities said a cruise ship carrying about 8-10 citizens of the country had lost contact since the earthquake struck.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center announced in an email on October 25 that the earthquake created a massive tsunami.

In December 2004, a tsunami caused by an earthquake in the Indian Ocean seized more than 226,000 people from different countries. This is the most destructive tsunami ever recorded.