No Australians yet identified after Indonesian tsunami

No Australians have yet been listed as being affected by the tsunami that hit beaches in Indonesia.

The Australian Embassy in Jakarta is liaising with local authorities to determine if any Australians are affected, but the current advice is no foreigners have been involved in the disaster, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said on Monday.

On Saturday, a tsunami - believed to be caused by volcanic activity or undersea landslides - crashed into coastal towns on the islands of Sumatra and Java, killing at least 281 people and injuring more than 1000.

Casualty numbers are expected to rise.

Tsunami expert Associate Professor David Kennedy from the University of Melbourne says Australians could be in the vicinity of the disaster.

"It's probably unlikely but I'd say it's not impossible, Australians tend to get around everywhere," he told AAP.

He says the ocean patterns could affect Australian waters.

"The energy from the tsunami itself can migrate out," he says.

"A big event in the outer part of the Indonesian archipelago, those waves can radiate out ... quite unimpeded by anything.

"It's really a function of how much the water columns displace. I like to think of it like throwing a peddle in a pond ... it depends on how big the movement happens to be.

"(But) this tsunami is a localised one."

He says it was unusual that there was no warning before the tsunami struck.

"The first thing they (the victims) noticed was the tsunami was there. The most common cause is an earthquake so you'll feel the rumbling. But because this was a very active volcano ... there wasn't any shaking."

He says Australia is a key partner for recovery and clean-up efforts as well as providing mapping, observation and prediction technology.

The Indonesian Red Cross is providing emergency assistance and helping clean up, with more than 20 staff and volunteers helping to rescue survivors and recover bodies.

Save the Children has a team ready to deploy to the worst affected areas if required.

Tim Costello, chief advocate of World Vision Australia, said there was a "mad scramble against the clock" to dig for survivors.

"It's a race against time to save anyone who is still alive," he told Sky news.

"The death toll always rises."

He urged Australians to donate over the festive period to help those affected by the tragedy.

He added the lack of warning given to residents before the tsunami hit would need to be addressed.

Anyone who wishes to donate can go to the emergency appeal section at worldvision.com.au