Indonesia tsunami – terrifying moment boyband are swept off stage by Krakatoa tsunami that leaves 222 dead and 843 injured

The 16-ft-high wave caused by a volcanic eruption hit beaches around the Sunda Strait between the islands of Java and South Sumatra last night, destroying 556 homes, nine hotels and 10 ships.

At least 843 people were injured and about 30 are missing – with officials warning the death toll will rise as some areas have not as yet been reached.

Thousands of residents were forced to evacuate to higher ground.

TV images showed the moment when the tsunami hit the beach and residential areas in Pandeglang on Java island, dragging with it victims, debris, and large chunks of wood and metal.

Horrifying footage also shows a huge wave smash through the stage as pop band Seventeen performed at a beach resort.




Fans could be heard screaming as the wall of water struck the stage, killing two members of Seventeen.

A further four members were reported missing as a result of the tsunami after smashing 65ft inland before 9.30pm on Saturday.

Footage posted on social media showed Seventeen performing under a tent on the shore of Tanjung Lesung Beach at 9.30pm as people sat listening at tables.

Two hundred employees of state electricity utility Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) and family members had gathered on the shore for an end-of-year party.


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Then, in between songs while the drummer was pounding, the stage suddenly heaved forward, throwing the band and all their equipment into the audience.

Video footage shared on social media shows partygoers enjoying the music and then screaming as waves crashed into the stage and band members were swept away.

Zack, a crew member, described on Instagram how he struggled in the deluge: "Underwater I could only pray 'Jesus Christ help!' In the final seconds I almost ran out of breath."

He survived by clinging to part of the collapsed stage.






The band has released a statement saying its bass player, M.Awal Purbani, also known as Bani, and road manager Oki Wijaya were later found dead.

Seventeen is still looking for four people who remain missing – the guitarist, drummer, a crew member and the wife of singer Ifan.

The band explained: "The water washed away the stage which was located very close to the sea.

"The water rose and dragged away everyone at the location. We have lost loved ones, including our bassist and manager… and others are missing."





Scientists said the tsunami was likely caused by undersea landslides after the volcano of Anak Krakatau, an island formed from previous blasts from Krakatoa, exploded – sending molten lava and ash spewing more than 500 yards into the air.

The deadly wave struck the Sunda Strait – between the islands of Java and Sumatra – which connects the Java Sea to the Indian Ocean.

Azki Kurniawan, 16, was part of a 30-strong group of students getting work experience at the Patra Comfort Hotel when people suddenly burst into the lobby, yelling “sea water rising”.

Confused  – as he didn’t feel an earthquake – the teen ran towards his motorbike when “suddenly a 1m-high wave hit me.

“I fell down [as] the water separated me from my bike. I was thrown into the fence of a building about 30m from the beach, and held onto the fence as strong as I could, trying to resist the water, which feels like it would drag be back into the sea.

“I cried in fear… I was afraid I would die.”

Authorities warned residents and tourists in coastal areas around Sunda Strait to stay away from beaches and a high-tide warning remains in place through until December 25.





No foreigners are known to have been caught up in the carnage, according to reports.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) said: "The British Embassy is in contact the Indonesian authorities and is monitoring the situation closely."

It comes almost 14 years to the day since the Boxing Day 2004 tsunami killed 226,000 people in 13 countries, including more than 120,000 in Indonesia.

An Indonesian disaster official said coastal areas have been levelled – and warned the death toll was likely to rise.

Among the destroyed buildings were at least 556 houses and nine hotels – while 10 ships were also wrecked.

TV footage showed roads blocked by debris from damaged houses, overturned cars and fallen trees.







The day the earth shook: The 1883 eruption of Krakatoa

The explosion of Krakatoa sent tsunamis with waves up to 135ft across the ocean – killing more than 30,000 people.

Thousands more were suffocated by hot ash raining from the sky.

The eruptions were equivalent to 200 megatons of TNT – about 13,000 times the nuclear yield of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945.

They were also heard thousands of miles away – and are believed to be the loudest noises ever experienced in human history.

World temperatures dropped by more than 1C the following year due to the ash clouds in the atmosphere blocking the sun.

The island that Krakatoa stood on virtually disappeared.



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