449 Dead, 96 Still Missing in Tsunami-Hit Indonesia

Survivors Markus (L) and his sister Lisna cry after finding their mother's body in the tsunami devastated Monte village, North Pagai island part of Mentawai islands, West Sumatra Indonesia, 29 October 2010. Photo by EPA/BGNES

The death toll has gone up to 449 and 96 people are still missing after a tsunami hit Indonesia on Monday, CNN reports.

The tsunami was triggered by a 7.7-magnitude earthquake that shook Indonesia.

At least 270 people were injured and 135 were found alive over the past five days, officials have stated.

More than 22,000 people have been affected by the tsunami, which washed away villages and hundreds of homes on the Mentawai Islands because of a failure in the early warning system, designed to alert people for waves higher than 3 meters.

Heavy rains and high winds have been plaguing the rescue efforts since the tsunami struck. However, the improved weather conditions in the last days have allowed rescuers to step up their efforts to bring aid to survivors, BBC reported.

Meanwhile, hundreds of people have been returning home after the eruption of the Mount Merapi volcano killed 36 people last week.

Scientists, however, have stated that the volcano could burst back again at any time.

Merapi  is one of the most active and dangerous volcanoes in Indonesia and has produced more lava flows than any other volcano in the world. It has been active for 10,000 years and has registered eruptions on average every four years.

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