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Tsunami hits Indonesia, 100 killed
Published on Mon, Jul 17, 2006 at 15:00, Updated on Tue, Jul 18, 2006 at 10:41 in 
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Jakarta: A powerful earthquake sent a two-meter high tsunami crashing into beach resorts along Indonesia's Java island on Monday, killing around 100 people and causing extensive damage to hotels, restaurants and homes, witnesses and officials said.
The hardest-hit area appeared to be Pangandaran, an idyllic beach resort popular with local and foreign tourists, where witnesses said people shouted "tsunami, tsunami," and climbed trees or crowded inland mosques as the wave approached.
Indonesia was the worst hit by the 2004 tsunami and has installed a warning system across much of Sumatra island, but not on Java, which just seven weeks ago was hit by a powerful quake that killed thousands.
The extent of damage from Monday's wave was not immediately clear, police said, with roads blocked and power cut to much of the area.
Santi, a tourist at Pangandaran resort, which according to initial reports appeared to be hardest hit, told The Associated Press she saw around 20 bodies piled up at a local health clinic. Many Indonesians only go by one name.
There were no immediately reports of foreign deaths, but at least one Swedish man was being treated for injuries at a local hospital and his two sons, ages 5 and 10, were missing, said Jan Janonius, a Swedish Foreign Ministry spokesman.
Officials at the clinic could not immediately be reached for comment.
Earlier police and other witnesses said they saw up to six corpses among the debris, but it was not clear if they were part of the same toll.
The epicenter of the 7.2-magnitude quake that spawned the wave was 48 kilometers beneath the Indian Ocean and 240 kilometers southwest of Java.
It caused tall buildings to sway as far off as the capital Jakarta, and was followed by a series of strong aftershocks.
Waves measuring between 10 and 20 centimeters were also recorded on Indonesia's resort island of Bali and near Australia's Coco Islands, meteorological officials said.
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