New Zealand -Telegram from the The Poverty Bay Herald and East Coast Newsletter- Tuesday August 28th, 1883 : “BATAVIA [now Djakarta], August 27. A volcano has broken out on the island of Cracka, in the Straits of Sunda. The outburst is terrific, and is plainly visible from this town. News is to hand from Anger and Sering, on the Java coast, and states that a serious influx of sea has been experienced, and much damage has been caused to both places.”
The Herald of August 30th reported that a sharp earthquake was reported at “Lockhampton” (Rockhampton) on the morning of 29th August in a telegram from Brisbane, Australia.
A further telegram from Batavia (Djakarta): “The tidal wave experienced at Anger, on the coast of this island has caused the complete destruction of the place, and great loss of life. The recent volcanic eruption on Cracatoa (Krakatau) and the marine disturbances have completely changed the Straits of Sunda, and navigation of the passage is now attended with great danger.”
From New York on August 30th: “Exceptionally high tides have been experienced along the Atlantic sea-board, and, owing to the invasion of the sea, serious damage has been caused at several coast towns”.
Throughout the week, concerns had been held for the vessel Clansman en route from Lyttelton to Auckland. She was long overdue, and nothing had been seen of her in the turbulent waters caused by the southerly storms and tsunami. She limped into Auckland Harbour on Saturday September 1st in a very battered condition, an epic 23 days out from Lyttelton. The Herald noted that she: “Experienced a succession of gales and had her deck swept by enormous seas. Arrived in battered condition.” In the same issue a telegram from London: “reports from Java estimate 30,000 lives lost due to the tidal wave.”
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