Krakatau

In August 1883 massive volcanic eruptions destroyed the island of Krakatau. A tsunami wreaked havoc in the region, causing countless deaths, and shock waves were recorded around the world. Since then, Krakatau has been the subject of more than 1,000 reports and publications, but the only surviving account of the event was written by an indigenous eyewitness. Muhammad Saleh writes in the form of a syair, a classical Malay rhymed poem. Krakatu: The Tale of Lampung Submerged sheds light on local responses to the widespread devastation in the region and enriches our knowledge of the disaster.