Indonesian President Warns About Probability of New Tsunami

BANGKOK (Sputnik) - Indonesian President Joko Widodo warned on Monday that a new tsunami could hit the country, calling on the local authorities to do everything possible to prevent the emergence of new victims.

"As we have seen, disaster zones are not always the same as forecast [by the Indonesian National Board for Disaster Management]. This is why coastal regions that were hit by the tsunami were not ready for it. A new tsunami is probable, and the population and [related] agencies of the coastal regions should be ready for it. We should avoid the emergence of new victims", Widodo said, as quoted by the Detik News website.

The number people, who were killed as a result of the tsunami has risen to at least 373, according to Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, a spokesman for Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency.

"1,459 people are injured, while 128 remain missing," he said.

READ MORE: State Dept Has No Data on US Nationals Affected by Indonesian Tsunami

Earlier in the day, Widodo had already slammed the Indonesian National Board for Disaster Management for its inaccurate forecasts, as a result of which people living in the tsunami-hit areas had not been warned beforehand about the probability of the disaster.

Widodo pledged that in early 2019 all the elements of the early tsunami-warning system would be checked and improved.

On Saturday, a deadly tsunami, triggered by a volcanic eruption, hit the coast of Indonesia's Sunda Strait. Earlier it was reported about 280 dead and more than 1,000 others injured, while over 50 people have gone missing. The tsunami has also destroyed hundreds of homes and public buildings.