Death toll rises to 47 after 7.7-magnitude earthquake strikes eastern Indonesia
Baku, August 16, AZERTAC
At least 47 people were killed and scores injured after a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Indonesia early Saturday, damaging hundreds of homes and public facilities, authorities said.
The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) said 24 people were killed in Manggarai Regency, 17 in East Manggarai, three in Sikka, one in Ngada and one in Ende, state-run Antara news agency reported.
The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) said the victims included 24 people in the Manggarai Regency, 17 in East Manggarai, three in Sikka, one in Ngada and one in Ende.
Authorities said 157 houses were severely damaged, 41 moderately damaged and 148 lightly damaged. The quake also damaged 87 educational facilities, 18 health facilities, five places of worship and six offices.
A tsunami warning issued for several areas by Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency was later lifted.
Rescue teams continued evacuating and treating the injured, while the BNPB sent food and other essential supplies to affected communities.
The earthquake struck the Flores region at a depth of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) at 5.58 am local time Saturday (2158GMT Friday), according to the US Geological Survey.
It was followed by 111 aftershocks, including one of magnitude 6.1.
Strong shaking prompted residents in several areas to flee their homes and take shelter in the streets, according to media reports.
Authorities evacuated around 2,000 people from affected areas to safer locations.
Separately, a magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck near Pematangsiantar in North Sumatra province Saturday, with no casualties or significant damage reported.
Another quake, measuring magnitude 5.8, struck Sulawesi at 1625GMT Saturday at a depth of 72 kilometers, according to Germany's GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences. Indonesia's BMKG measured the quake at magnitude 6.2 at a depth of 44 kilometers.
Indonesia lies along the Pacific "Ring of Fire," a seismically active zone of fault lines and volcanoes where earthquakes are frequent.
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