Bandarlampung, Lampung, Dec 24 (ANTARA News) - Thousands of evacuees began to return home on Monday morning, after they took refuge at the Lampung governor`s office in the wake of last Saturday`s tsunami.

"Some five thousand evacuees have returned home since this morning. Only hundreds of evacuees are still taking refuge as their houses are no longer livable," Chief of the Lampung Provincial Social Office Sumarju Saini stated here on Monday.

Saini noted that since they took refuge, a great amount of relief aid, including foodstuffs, tarpaulins, blankets and clothes, have flowed in from the public and agencies.

"We will distribute the aid we have gathered to such areas as Legundi Island, Pesawaran, Teluk Kiluan, Tanggamus, and coastal areas of South Lampung," he added.

The number of evacuees in the Lampung governor`s office compounds peaked on Sunday evening, when the tide was high along the coast and the rain fell.

"Last night, some five thousand evacuees packed (the evacuee camp). But this morning, some of them returned home, while others continued to stay there," he remarked.

A tsunami hit several places in the provinces of Banten and Lampung last Saturday night.

The National Disaster Mitigation Board (BNPB) announced earlier in the day that the death toll in the tsunami had risen to 334 as of 11.00 a.m., while 61 people were still missing. The tsunami also injured 764 people in the two provinces.

The tsunami was most likely triggered by Mount Anak Krakatau`s eruption that had caused an underwater landslide.

Reporting by Hisar Sitanggang/Damiri
Editing by Eliswan

Reporter: Antara
Editor: Eliswan Azly
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