Death toll in Indonesia tsunami touches 168

At least 168 people have lost their lives in the devastating tsunami that struck the Sunda Strait on Saturday night, with 745 people being reported as injured by Indonesia's National Disaster Mitigation Agency.

Furthermore, the natural disaster has destroyed 558 houses as 30 people are still missing, CNN quoted Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, the head of the agency as saying. Over nine hotels, 60 restaurants and 350 boats have also been heavily damaged in the disaster.

"We are still gathering information," Nugroho stated while adding, "The worst hit area is Pandeglang district, along the coastal area, including residential and tourist areas in the Tanjung Lesung beach, Lesung beach, Teluk Lada, Panimbang and Carita beach."

The tsunami struck tourist and residential areas on the night of December 22, after underwater landslides that were triggered by a volcanic eruption according to Indonesia's meteorological, climatological and geological agency.

The tsunami had struck 24 minutes after the volcanic eruption. "The Geological Agency detected at 21.03 local time the Anak Krakatau (the volcano) erupted," the agency said.

"It's possible the materials around Anak Krakatau collapsed to the sea and triggered the tsunami and affected beaches around Sunda Strait," the organisation further mentioned.

The death toll is expected to rise as rescue operations are underway.