Indonesian officials have confirmed hundreds of deaths in the aftermath of a major earthquake, subsequent tsunami and a separate volcano eruption that hit the archipelago nation in the same 24-hour period.
The country's president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, rushed back from a state visit to Vietnam to deal with the twin disasters that have so far killed at least 300 people.
The tsunami struck the Mentawai Islands in western Indonesia late Monday, sweeping three-metre waves over small villages where hundreds of homes were washed away.
It resulted from a 7.7-magnitude earthquake that occurred only 20 kilometres below the ocean floor on Monday evening. At least 14 aftershocks followed the initial rumble.
District chief Edison Saleo Baja said the bodies of many tsunami victims are lying on beaches and roads because there are not enough people to dig graves at the moment.
On Wednesday, disaster official Ade Edward said at least 272 people were killed in the tsunami and the earthquake that precipitated it, while another 412 people are still missing.
Hundreds of body bags have been shipped into the area in anticipation of further casualties.
Edward said that 16 tons of disaster relief supplies were flown into the area on Wednesday afternoon. Officials say they will base their relief operations in the North Pagai island town of Sikakap.
Hours after the tsunami, Indonesia was hit with a second major disaster when a volcano known as Mount Merapi erupted at dusk on Tuesday.
Mount Merapi is located in central Java, about 1,300 kilometres east of the Mentawai Islands.
At least 30 people were killed by the eruption, including an 83-year-old man named Maridjan who had long held a ceremonial role as the person who watched over the volcano's spirits. The volcano covered homes and fields in a powdery ash coating.
Thousands of people living near Mount Merapi were forced to flee their homes and have been warned not to return for the time being.
With files from The Associated Press
