Tsunami death toll now over 270

The toll from the tsunami which hit Indonesia has risen past 270. Rescuers have reached the remote islands hit hardest by the disaster and found scenes of devastation.

Reuters

At least ten villages were flattened when the tsunami triggered by a 7.7 magnitude offshore earthquake hit the Mentawai islands off the west coast of Sumatra.

"We've recovered 272 bodies. At least 412 people are still missing," said West Sumatra provincial disaster management official Ade Edward.

Survivors said they had no warning that the three metre wave was coming.

"About ten minutes after the quake we heard a loud, thunderous sound. We went outside and saw the wave coming. We tried to run away to higher ground but the wave was much quicker than us”, said Borinte from the village of Detumonga.

He said he managed to stay alive by clasping to a piece of wood. His wife and three children were killed.

Several hundred kilometres away on the central island of Java, another 29 people were killed when the country's most active volcano, Mount Merapi, erupted. Officials said almost 42,000 people had fled to temporary shelters.