Tsunami continues to hit Indonesia?

The tsunami hit several areas of the Sunda Strait, including beaches in Pandeglang, Serang and South Lampung on the evening of December 22, killing 222 people and injuring 843, while 28 people are still missing. The Anak Krakatau volcano was considered the cause of the disaster, as it erupted just 24 minutes before the tsunami.

Teeuw said Indonesian authorities need to map the seabed around the Anak Krakatau volcano to predict landslide risks, but the process will take months to plan and execute.

The wave that hit Indonesia on December 22 was considered relatively small compared to tsunamis caused by undersea earthquakes. "However, it was particularly dangerous because there was almost no warning. Such tsunamis also often carry a lot of rock and debris, increasing the destructive power for coastal towns," Teeuw added.

Simon Boxall, a researcher at the University of Southampton in the UK, said the devastating damage in Indonesia was partly due to the tsunami coinciding with high tide. "It appears to have hit some coastal areas at the height of high tide, which exacerbated the damage. It also struck in the evening, catching many people by surprise," Boxall said.

Indonesian authorities had previously warned that further tsunamis were possible, advising residents and tourists to stay away from coastal areas facing the Anak Krakatau volcano. They also admitted to being confused about the tsunami warning, as the disaster was not caused by an earthquake as is usually the case.

Anak Krakatau (Son of Krakatau) is one of 127 active volcanoes in Indonesia, which emerged from the remains of the Krakatoa volcano and emerged from the sea in 1928. The mountain is about 305 m high, located 80 km off the west coast of Java and has been active since June.