42 killed, hundreds injured after 6.2 magnitude quake hits Indonesia
Jan 16, 2021
Jakarta [Indonesia], January 16 : 42 people were killed and hundreds of people were wounded after Indonesia's 6.2-magnitude quake struck West Sulawesi province on Friday, reported Xinhua.
"34 people were killed in Mamuju city and eight in Majene district," said Raditya Jati, spokesman of National Disaster Management Agency.
"More than 10,000 people were forced to evacuate as the quake destroyed houses, office buildings, hotels, hospitals and shopping malls in Mamuju city and Majene district," said Bagus Puruhito, Head of National Search and Rescue Agency.
The quake also damaged the seaport and a bridge in the province, told an official to Xinhua in a text message, citing that 300 houses were destroyed in Majene district.
Meanwhile, President Joko Widodo ordered the head of the disaster agency, police chief and military commander to immediately take emergency steps to search for victims and treat those who were injured in the quake.
Also, the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency's Head Dwikorita Karnawati on Friday warned of the possibility of another strong quake and a tsunami.
The risk assessment and evacuation of the victims are underway.
The earthquake's epicenter was 36 kilometres south of Mamuju, the capital of West Sulawesi, and the quake had a depth of 18 kilometres, said the United States Geological Survey.
Due to its geographical position on the Pacific "Ring of Fire", Indonesia experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity.
