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Officals have put a high-tide warning in place until Wednesday and residents have been told to move to higher ground. Saturday's tsunami came with almost no warning and destroyed more than 700 buildings, from small shops and houses to villas and hotels. The time between the landslide and waves hitting the coast was just 24 minutes.

Scientists had earlier said an underwater landslide was the likely cause of the tsunami, which affected the islands of Java and Sumatra.

But it has since emerged the wave was triggered when part of the Krakatau volcano collapsed into the sea. Krakatau erupted in 1883 killing more than 36,000 people in a series of tsunami. Anak Krakatau is the island that emerged from the area in 1927 and has been growing ever since.

Indonesia tsunami MAPPED: Indonesia has been devastated by a tsunami over the weekend

Indonesia tsunami MAPPED: A map shows where the tsunami struck

Fishermen told how a light breeze was followed by a huge wave that smashed together wooden fishing boats moored off the coast and pulled down the trees they were tied to. The high waves also isolated hundreds of people on Sebesi island, about 12 km from the volcano. "We are completely paralysed," Syamsiar, a village secretary on the island, said to Metro TV, calling for food and medicine. Will there be another tsunami? The volcano was still erupting on Sunday night, with sustained bursts of white smoke and ash filling the sky.

Indonesia tsunami MAPPED: At least 281 people have died