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Hundreds of people were injured in a powerful and shallow earthquake on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, the country’s authorities say. The death toll rises after the earthquake, which now totals at least 26 dead.
The earthquake occurred shortly after midnight local time and had a magnitude of 6.2. The epicenter was six kilometers northeast of the city of Majene, located to the west of the island, writes Reuters.
The news agency reports that up to 650 people were injured as a result of the earthquake’s devastation.
More than 10,000 people have had to evacuate their homes after the earthquake, according to the AP news agency.
More than 300 houses, a health center and a military building were destroyed in the city of Mamuju and several landslides blocked the road between Mamuju and Majene. A hotel is among the buildings that collapsed, authorities say. Also, the governor’s office is badly damaged.
The head of the crisis agency in the Majene district tells the AP that three of the dead lost their lives when their houses collapsed in their sleep.
Collapsed hospital
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Several staff members and patients are trapped in the ruins of a hospital that collapsed in the earthquake.
– The hospital has been razed, collapsed, says a spokesman for the rescue teams in the city of Mamuju.
– There are patients and staff locked up, and we try to save them, he says without mentioning the number.
No scope overview
Several died and were injured
Several people were reportedly trapped inside collapsed buildings, and Indonesian authorities say they are still working to get an overview of the damage.
Thousands of residents fled their homes in the middle of the night and have sought temporary shelter.
The earthquake was 18 kilometers deep underground, according to the United States Earthquake Institute.
Dagbladet is following the case.
