Tsunami kills hundreds in Indonesia

More than 380 people have been confirmed dead after a tsunami, triggered by a magnitude 7.5 earthquake, hit an Indonesian city yesterday.

Authorities in the city of Palu, located on the Indonesian island Sulawesi, say over 500 people were also injured in the disaster and expects the death toll to rise as at least 29 persons are listed as missing.

"Many bodies were found along the shoreline because of the tsunami, but the numbers are still unknown," Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, a spokesman for the Indonesian disaster agency, told Reuters.

Officials say strong aftershocks rocked the city this morning, causing thousands of homes to collapse and damage to hospitals, hotels and a shopping centre.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo said troops were en route to the area to reinforce rescue teams and help retrieve bodies.

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) reports that rescue efforts are being hampered by a major power cut. In addition, BBC says the main road to the city of Palu has been blocked because of a landslide and a key bridge is out of action.

The city of Palu is home to more than 335,000 people, hundreds of whom were preparing for a beach festival that was set to start last night.

"When the [tsunami] threat arose yesterday, people were still doing their activities on the beach and did not immediately run and they became victims," Purwo Nugroho told a news briefing.

"The tsunami didn't come by itself, it dragged cars, logs, houses…it hit everything on land," he added.

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