Pangandaran Tsunami

At 1519hrs on 17 July 06 a 7.7 magnitude undersea earthquake spawned a tsunami which had its epicenter about 110 miles (180 km) off the coast of Pangandaran. The earthquake caused at least a 3, 3-meter (6.5 feet) high waves. The tsunami traveled inland as far as 400 meters (1,312 feet), according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The areas affected by the earthquake and tsunami include Tasikmalaya, Ciamis, Sukabumi and Garut districts in West Java province; Cilacap, Kebumen, and Banyumas districts in Central Java province; and Gunung Kidul and Bantul districts in Yogyakarta province.

Estimates of the total number of dead are presently at approx 500 with 400 serious casualties having been reported. The number of missing stand at 300 many of which may be tourists who had been holidaying at the beachside resorts of Pangandaran. There are many thousands of homes destroyed and forced thousands living in makeshift accommodation in the Hills around Pangandaran.