At least 154 people were killed and another 400 remain missing after a powerful earthquake triggered a tsunami off Sumatra, an official said on Wednesday.

The quake struck late on Monday off the coast of western Sumatra, sending a three-metre wall of water into a remote island chain where several villages were flattened.

“At least 154 people were killed and 400 people are still missing,” West Sumatra provincial disaster management head Harmensyah said.

“They have lost their houses and now need a lot of aid and assistance. There are some tents already arrived here but we still need many more,” he said.