Dubai: A video of an Indonesian rock band getting swept away mid-performance went viral on social media, capturing just how unaware people were of the tsunami that hit Indonesia yesterday.
The late hours of December 22, Saturday, saw the eruption of Anak Krakatoa, a so-called ‘child volcano’ of Mt Krakatoa. What followed in the aftermath was a tsunami that no one expected.
Hashtags #PrayForAnyer and #PrayForBanten were used to share the news reports and videos from the disaster.
In a press release, the band confirmed that bassist M Awal Purbani and road manager Oki Wijaya had died in the disaster. The frontman of the band, Riefian Fajarsyah, posted a video message on Instagram, in which he can be seen crying. He said that he hoped that his remaining bandmates would be found and feared for his wife, who was also missing.
The band were performing at an event for a local government body when tragedy struck. The video was viewed over two million times in seven hours.
On social media, users posted messages praying for those affected.
Tweep @fortunelibra said: “My deepest condolences to all the victims. Stay safe and strong everyone. You are not alone. #PrayForAnyer”.
Another Twitter user @sowonniesama wrote: “I do not need to say much, but tell people, regardless of your religions, to pray for Anyer #PrayForAnyer”
Others expressed their condolences and prayers while acknowledging that Indonesia was often subject to this calamity.
Tweeps such as @zeeshankhandir said “Hundreds of homes were heavily damaged and many are missing. The deaths bring back memories of December 26, 2004, when an Indian Ocean tsunami triggered by an earthquake killed 226,000 people in 13 countries, including more than 120,000 in Indonesia. #Tsunami #PrayForAnyer” .
Twitter user @pxrdonbiebs said “Another tsunami has happened in my country #PrayForAnyer #PrayForLampung #Pray-ForBanten “
The frequency of vocanic eruptions and tsunamis in Indonesia is due to its situation on the ‘Ring of Fire’ an extremely geologically active zone in the Pacific ocean basin.