Tsunami Strikes Java's Southern Coast

A forceful earthquake south of Java on Monday afternoon, July 17, triggered a tsunami that caused death and damage on the island's southern coast. The tsunami was triggered by an earthquake south of Java. According to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, the quake measured 7.2 on the Richter scale; Indonesia's Meteorology and Geophysics Agency put the quake at 6.8. The death toll has passed 80 and may climb as recovery efforts continue, Reuters reports. CNN quoted Red Cross officials as saying that while most deaths are thought to have been caused by the tsunami, some people may have died in the earthquake or in the rush to higher ground as the tsunami approached shore.