Indonesia Tsunami: Around 34 dead bodies discovered inside the church; death toll rises to 1.234 in Indonesia earthquake, tsunami

The death toll from the devasting earthquake-tsunami on the Indonesia island of Sulawesi had risen to 1,234 from 844. The Indonesia government have confirmed the death toll on Tuesday. "As of 1:00 pm there are 1,234 dead," said Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, the national disaster agency spokesman.

During a search of the people being trapped under debris, around 34 students body was found in a church on Tuesday. The group were killed when a mudslide engulfed the church in which they were meeting, reported The Guardian.

As per reports, Roughly 50,000 people have been displaced by the earthquake. Indonesian volunteers dug mass graves for more than 1,000 bodies on Monday.

Indonesia is no stranger to natural calamities like earthquake and Jakarta wanted to show that it was able to deal with a catastrophe that has killed at least 832 people so far according to the official toll.

The Indonesian island of Sulawesi was hit by an earthquake that led tsunami on Friday. All the deceased were from tsunami-struck Palu. However, the officials have also warned the death toll are likely to rise.

Hospitals across the region were struggling to handle hundreds of injured and rescuers struggled to reach to the people stuck.

Several people were treated in an open air after hospitals were overwhelmed by the growing number of injured while other survivors helped to retrieve the remains of those who died. One man was seen carrying the muddy corpse of a small child.

In the city, where around 350,000 people lived had witnessed partially covered bodies lay on the ground near the shore, the day after tsunami waves 1.5 metres (five feet) came ashore.

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