Earthquake devastation in Indonesia’s Java province; 162 people killed, hundreds injured

Cianjur (Indonesia), Many houses have collapsed due to the tremors of a severe earthquake in Indonesia’s main island Java on Monday. At least 162 people have died in the country so far due to earthquake-related accidents, while hundreds of others are said to be injured. Dozens of buildings were damaged by the earthquake and many of the people running for their lives in the streets and alleys were seen injured and covered in blood. Officials are still gathering information regarding the number of casualties in the earthquake in remote areas of the country.

Java Governor Ridwan Kamil told that the death toll has increased to 162. He said, “Most of the dead are children.” He said that most of the children studying in public schools at the time of the earthquake were taking training in Islamic schools after completing their studies. Siyanjur has the largest number of Islamic residential schools and mosques. Kamil said, “There have been accidents in many Islamic schools.”

Earthquake of 5.4 magnitude, epicentres were in Cianjur region of West Java province
The US Geological Survey said the 5.4-magnitude quake was centered in the Cianjur region of West Java province at a depth of 10 kilometers (6.2 mi). According to Indonesia’s Meteorology and Climatology and Geophysical Agency, 25 more aftershocks were recorded after the earthquake. Hasan, a laborer undergoing treatment at Siyanjur Regional Hospital, said, “The earthquake was very strong and I fainted. I saw my colleagues running out of the building, but I was delayed in getting out and hit the wall.” Apart from the members of the rescue team, local people were also seen helping in the relief and rescue work in Siyanjur. Hundreds of people were injured in the incident as they were hit by the collapsed buildings.

The city echoed with screams after the earthquake
Shopkeeper D. Risma was talking to her customers that suddenly the earthquake created havoc. He said, “The tremor was strong, due to which vehicles stopped on the roads. I felt tremors thrice but the first was the strongest. The roof of the shop next to my shop collapsed.” Herman Suherman, head of the Cianjur agency, had told that by Monday evening the death toll had reached 62 and hundreds of people were injured. Suharyanto, head of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency, said hundreds of people were injured.

25 people buried under debris in Cijedil village
Agency spokesman Abdul Muhari said 25 people were still buried under the rubble in the village of Cijedil. The agency said dozens of buildings were damaged, including an Islamic boarding school, a hospital and other public facilities. It said in a statement that information about the number of casualties and damage is still being collected.

strong tremors in jakarta
Strong tremors of earthquake were felt in Jakarta. Tall buildings in the capital shook and some were evacuated. Vidi Primadhania, an employee in South Jakarta, said, “The earthquake felt very strong. Me and my co-workers in my office on the ninth floor decided to exit through the emergency stairs.” Earthquakes are frequent in the vast archipelago nation, but it is unusual to feel them in Jakarta.

There was an earthquake last year too
Indonesia’s population is more than 270 million and it is frequently affected by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis. In February this year, at least 25 people were killed and over 460 were injured when a magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck West Sumatra province. In January 2021, a 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck West Sulawesi province, killing more than 100 people and injuring nearly 6,500.

Earthquake in 2004 had killed more than 2 lakh
In 2004, a powerful earthquake and tsunami in the Indian Ocean killed about 230,000 people in a dozen countries, most of them in Indonesia.

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Tags: Earthquake, Indonesia, natural disaster