More woes for Indonesia as tsunami strikes small islands off the coast of Sumatra

A 3m-high wave crashed into the Mentawai islands after a quake on Monday, so far it’s thought that its left 154 people dead, with Indonesian rescue workers battling to reach an estimated 400 people believed to be still missing. The tsunami which struck small islands off the coast of Sumatra has left a trail of devastation in its path adding to the woes of Indonesia after the eruption on Tuesday of Mount Merapi volcano.

Indonesia’s president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who is currently in Vietnam is cutting short his trip with regional leaders to fly back to help deal with the tsunami aftermath and also be briefed on the rescue effort on Java.

Speaking of his sadness at the deaths, US President Barack Obama, who spent some of his childhood in Indonesia, stated: “At the same time, I am heartened and encouraged by the remarkable resiliency of the Indonesian people and the commitment of their government to rapidly assist the victims.” He also said the US is ready to help in any way it can.

Rescuers, who are now in the region, find themselves facing bad weather and post-quake aftershocks whilst they search for survivors and rough seas were making it difficult to ship aid to the Mentawai islands from Padang, which is the nearest major port on Sumatra. Unfortunately forecasters say the bad weather is likely to continue in the coming days which could hamper rescue missions.

Picture courtesy of Mr. T in DC

World News