Indonesia tsunami – boy, 5, pulled from the wreckage 12 hours after disaster

A FIVE-year-old boy has been pulled alive from the rubble in an area of Indonesia devastated by a tsunami after police heard his cries.

At least 281 people have been killed by the tsunami and 1,000 people injured, with officials warning the death toll will rise as some areas have not yet been reached.

Video footage showed the tearful youngster being saved by rescuers, after local police said he had been pulled from a car which had been trapped under fallen trees.

In the footage the boy's cries could be heard as a rescuer shines a torch into where he was trapped.

Debris surrounding the boy, who was named as 'Ali' on social media, was carefully removed and he was pulled out.

He was then taken to safety in the arms of a police officer.

The devastating tsunami caused by a volcanic eruption hit beaches around the Sunda Strait between the islands of Java and South Sumatra early on Sunday moring, destroying 556 homes, nine hotels and 10 ships.

Anak Krakatau erupted again on Sunday, spewing ash and smoke.

Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, the spokesman for the National Disaster Management Agency, said another tsunami was a possibility because of the continued volcanic eruptions of Anak Krakatau.

"Recommendations from [the] Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysical Agency are that people should not carry out activities on the beach and stay away from the coast for a while," he said.

He said there was no tsunami advance warning system the night of the disaster, adding that because of lack of funds, vandalism to the buoys and technical faults there had been no operational tsunami warning system since 2012.

President Joko Widodo visited the area on Monday and said an alert system was needed.

The tremor on Saturday was recorded at a depth of 105.8km.

Thousands of residents were forced to evacuate to higher ground after the tsunami struck.

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.

Terrified fans could be heard screaming as the 16ft-high torrent of water slammed into the set mid-performance.

The band's bass player M.Awal Purbani, also known as Bani, and road manager Oki Wijaya were later found dead.

Seventeen's drummer, a crew member and the wife of singer Ifan are still missing.

In a poignant Instagram update, Ifan said: "Today is your birthday, I want to say it right away, hurry home dear."

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.

Some 200 people had gathered at the concert for an end of year Christmas party when disaster struck.

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

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

enteen frontman Ifan uploaded a video confirming that two members were killed and four are missing, including his wife

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 said that while playing, "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.

"The tide rose and dragged all the people on-site. Unfortunately, when the current receded, our members were unable to save themselves, while some did not find a place to hold on."

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”.

The teenager ran towards his motorbike when a 1m-high wave hit him.

“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.”

Nurjana, 20, ran for half an hour to the mountains after the tsunami hit. Her beachside stall, where she sold snacks to tourists, was washed away.

"I opened the door straight away and saved myself. I jumped over the wall," she told Reuters.

"Everything is destroyed."

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."

Rescuers are today using heavy machinery and their bare hands to pick through debris in the hope of finding survivors.

Medics were sent in with the military, while groups of police and soldiers reached remote areas.

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.

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