Indonesian Earthquake: 102 killed, rescue operations underway
In the wake of Wednesday earthquake, the death toll has now risen to around 102, with almost hundreds found injured.
The shallow 6.5 magnitude earthquake has damaged homes, shops and mosques, completely destroying hundreds of structures.
Rescuers had to use earth movers and bare hands to look for the survivors.
Medical personnel have gone to the region to get casualties to hospitals, despite the bad weather conditions and nightfall that affected the search and rescue operations. They are still on alert.
A state of emergency has been declared in the Aceh province. Residents have been advised to sleep outdoors, just to avoid aftershocks that can cause further damage to the already toppled buildings.
As of now, no tsunami warning has been issued for the country.
Wednesday's earthquake is Indonesia's second major tremor this year and the most severe till now.
Death toll from earthquake in northern#Indonesia's Aceh province doubles to at least 50https://t.co/crbxzi59HU
— Reuters Top News (@Reuters)December 7, 2016
Indonesian Earthquake: Death toll rises to 97
Rescuers in Indonesia’s Aceh province are still searching for more victims. As per the recent reports, the death toll has risen to 97 due to the earthquake. Emergency services are still searching the collapsed buildings for more victims as well as survivors.
The injuries have overloaded the local medical centers. The survivors are being shifted to hospitals in nearby cities. The Indonesian Red Cross expects more victims to be found throughout the day. A number of aftershocks are still affecting the area. This quake was another reminder for Acehnese of their region's vulnerability to natural disasters. More than 100,000 died in Aceh after the December 26 earthquake that triggered a tsunami.
97 killed as 6.4-magnitude earthquake rocks North#Indonesiahttps://t.co/4Gednr5zYEpic.twitter.com/HOnXih9Jb1— The Quint (@TheQuint)December 7, 2016
Indonesia’s Aceh province was hit by a strong undersea earthquake of 6.5 magnitude early on Wednesday. The earthquake was centered about 10 kilometers north of Reuleut, a town in northern Aceh, at a depth of 17 kilometers. People panicked and rushed outdoors as houses collapsed. In fact, some several mosques, stores and homes were flattened.
#BREAKING: Over 20 people killed, dozens others injured with massive buildings damaged in M-6.4#INDONESIAQUAKE. Aceh worst hit (web pic)pic.twitter.com/diOEIWFhQO
— China Xinhua News (@XHNews)December 7, 2016
Army chief says over 50 people dead after a magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck#Acehprovince,#Indonesia.https://t.co/Uu6QkUXlawpic.twitter.com/BaemMHXDBH— AJ+ (@ajplus)December 7, 2016
#BREAKING- Dozens of buildings have collapsed in the northern Indonesian province of Aceh after a 6.4 magnitude earthquake#indonesia
— Jane Wardell (@TheJaneWardell)December 7, 2016
Almost 54 people have been reported dead, out of which 54 were in Pidie Jaya regency alone and one in Bireuen regency; several people were stuck inside collapsed buildings and were being evacuated with the help of heavy machinery. There is an urgent need for excavation equipment to move heavy debris and emergency supplies.
The Pidie Jaya regency is located 18 kilometers southwest of the epicenter. It’s the most severely affected district, wherein hundreds of people have been injured.
During the quake, residents of a nearby town of Lhokseumawe ran out of their houses and many people fled to higher ground.
According to experts, the earthquake was unlikely to trigger a tsunami, however at least five aftershocks were felt after the quake.
Indonesia is considered as the world’s largest archipelago and is prone to earthquakes because of its location on the Pacific ‘Ring of Fire’, which is an arc of volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific Basin.
The quake is expected to have been felt by people as far as 836 kilometres away and damage could extend as far as 67 kilometres from the epicentre.
Image Credit: youtube.com
