Tsunami Hits Indo

The quake, which occurred at 10.42pm local time and measuring 7.7 on the Richter scale (upgraded from 7.5), caused a large tsunami to swamp settlements along the west coast of North and South Pagai, the two southernmost islands of the Mentawais.

Most of the missing are believed to be women and children from the South Pagai village of Betu Monga, while the charter boat, the Southern Cross, has gone missing from the area, with Australian Embassy officials saying that they had not heard from its skipper, the experienced Chris Scurrah, but were hopeful he had left his boat and gone into the jungle for safety.

A former client of the Southern Cross, Jan Rassmussen, a South African living in Melbourne, Australia (where "Scuzz" is from) told Wavescape: "They can't reach them on the sat phone so they must have left the boat and are on some island."

At Macaronis surf camp, it was reported that a three metre wall of water washed into the bay, causing boats to collide, one of which burst into flame, and washing surfers into the jungle.

Hardimansyah, an official with the regional branch of the Department of Fisheries, told Reuters: "Of the 200 people living in that village, only 40 have been found. 160 are still missing, mostly women and children."

"We have people reporting to the security post here that they could not hold onto their children, that they were swept away."

Hardimansyah, who has only one name, said in the nearby village of Malakopa, at least one person was confirmed dead and two others missing. He told Reuters that 80 percent of the houses in the area were damaged and food supplies were low.

Contact to the surf charter boats and camps has been sporadic, and news sparse, with information coming through Facebook, blogs and Twitter, as well as Channel Nine, the Australisan television network.

The quake, which occurred at 3.61 degrees South and 99.93 degrees East about 80kms off the west coast South Pagai (where Thunders is), created a large wall of white water to sweep into the west coast of both islands, including North Pagai (where Maccaronis is).

Boat operators in Padang, which lies on the mainland behind the Mentawais Island chain, apparently felt little more than a tidal push.

Officials say between eight and 10 Australians were on the Southern Cross, which is owned by tour company Sumatran Surfariis.

According to a journey manifest, obtained by news agency AAP, there were eight other Australians on board: Clifford Humphries, Gary Mountford, Christopher Papallo, Alexander McTaggart, Neil Cox, Jeffrey Annesley, Stephen Reynolds and Colin Steell.

"There is one boat that we haven't been able to make contact with, the Southern Cross," said Yuli, a staff member at Padang-based Sumatran Surfariis.

According to Kiwi website www.stuff.co.nz, Aucklander Michael Matthew, who operates charter boat Kuda Laut, said that that a three metre wall of water flooded Maccas, ripped two vessels off their anchor and washed surfers into the jungle.

Jamie Gray, a spokesman for The Perfect Wave Surf Travel, apparently said that the Midas and Freedom collided and one burst into flames, while the surfers were washed into the jungle. Some surfers were apprently forced to climb trees to escape.

Gray apparently told Radio 3AW in Australia that Tom Plummer - who heads SurfAid International - had sent his boat Dabora to pick-up passengers who had fled the collision.

"By the looks of things, they've all been sort of washed into the jungle area and they've all climbed trees."

His emails said everyone seemed to be okay, "but I can't get hold of them via phone so obviously until I speak to them the concern will be there".