VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

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Lampung Governor Arinal Djunaidi believes that the Krakatau Festival is a central event of Lampung Province to draw domestic and foreign tourists.

The 29th Krakatau Festival, held on Aug 21-25, 2019, was enlivened by an array of activities to endorse tourism in Indonesia, in general, and Lampung, in particular, Djunaidi stated here on Saturday.

The festival, which also aims to promote the culture and creative economy, is organized annually and included in the Tourism Ministry's 100 Wonderful Calendar of Events.

He affirmed that the tourism industry should aid in driving economic development in Lampung, boost public welfare, and preserve traditional culture.

Lampung’s strategic position practically makes the province as part of the bridge connecting Sumatra Island and Java Island, and it has abundant natural resources.

Other events supporting the Krakatau Festival comprise the Nusa Rasa culinary bazaar held on Aug 18-25, Sai Bumi Ruwa Jurai art and cultural show on Aug 23-24, Krakatau Expo on Aug 23-25, traditional children games on Aug 24, and Lampung Culture & Tapis Carnival showcasing traditional woven clothing on Aug 25.

The peak event was a boat trip approaching Mount Anak Krakatau in the waters of Sunda Strait on August 24, 2019.

A large part of the southern flank of Mount Anak Krakatau slid into the ocean in the evening of December 22, 2018, and triggered a tsunami that cause damage to houses along the coastal areas of the provinces of Lampung and Banten located around Sunda Strait. Anak Krakatau, situated between the islands of Java and Sumatra, had been undergoing a stuttering eruption since June 18, and an alert status was declared for it. The Sunda Strait tsunami claimed 430 lives. At least 1,495 people were injured, 159 people went missing, and 21,991 others displaced.

The Sunda Strait tsunami was the second major tsunami to have struck Indonesia last year following a deadly tsunami that was triggered by a powerful earthquake rocking Palu and several other districts in Central Sulawesi Province on September 28, 2018 (ANTARA)