Tsunami in Indonesia kills at least 168 without warning (Video)

There was no warning before the waves struck the Pandeglang district, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, head of public relations at Indonesia's National Disaster Mitigation Agency, said on television.

The tsunami was likely triggered by a combination of underwater landslides caused by volcanic eruption, the country's meteorological, climatological and geological agency said.

The confirmed dead included a member of the Indonesian rock band Seventeen that was playing when the disaster struck as well as a road member, according to the Indonesian newspaper the Jakarta Post. The newspaper said all the other band members were still missing.

Even though Indonesia was the worst country affected by the devastating Boxing Day 2004 tsunami that killed hundred of thousands of people, the country still lacks the proper equipment to alert that a tsunami threat is coming.

"This is new thing for us," Nugroho said, adding that Indonesia needs underwater sensors that would warn authorities of possible dangers.

"We need multi-hazard early warning system," he said. "And we need lots of it."

Nugroho pointed out that tsunamis are much faster and less predictable than tidal waves, which are caused by atmospheric conditions.

"We used to know that a tsunami happens after an earthquake. There was no quake last night. That is why there was no warning," he said referring to the underwater landslides.

The tsunami has destroyed 558 houses and heavily damaged nine hotels, 60 restaurants and 350 boats, indicating the tsunami hit residential and tourist areas.

Nugroho said, as of now, no foreigners were killed. The dead include only Indonesian tourists and locals.

"We are still gathering information," Nugroho said. "The worst hit area is Pandeglang district, along the coastal area, including residential and tourist areas in the Tanjung Lesung beach, Lesung beach, Teluk Lada, Panimbang and Carita beach."

"The Geological Agency detected at 21.03 local time the Anak Krakatau erupted," Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency said, adding that the tsunami struck 24 minutes later. "It's possible the materials around Anak Krakatau collapsed to the sea and triggered the tsunami and affected beaches around Sunda Strait."

Some residents fled to shelters after the tsunami hit.

CNN