The death toll from an Indonesian tsunami has climbed to 154 with more than 400 people still missing, an official said today, as rescuers tried to help its victims and those affected by an erupting volcano.

Large eruptions of searing hot gas and debris led to the hasty evacuation of thousands of villagers from Mount Merapi’s slopes today – a day after they got the OK to go home – as authorities raised the volcano’s alert level to its highest status again.