A 6.2-magnitude earthquake on Indonesia’s Sulawesi island killed at least seven people, injured hundreds and damaged many buildings on Friday, the country’s disaster mitigation agency said, as panicked residents fled to safer areas.
The epicenter of the quake was six kilometers (3.73 miles) northeast of Majene city at a depth of 10 kilometers.
Initial information from the country’s disaster mitigation agency showed that four people had died and 637 others were injured in Majene, while there were three more fatalities and two dozen injured in the neighboring area of Mamuju.
Thousands had fled their homes to seek safety when the quake hit just after 1 am local time on Friday morning, damaging at least 60 homes, the agency said.
The quake was felt strongly for about seven seconds but did not trigger a tsunami warning.
Videos on social media showed residents fleeing to higher ground on motorcycles, and a child trapped under the rubble as people tried to remove debris with their bare hands.
Some buildings were badly damaged, including two hotels, the office of the governor of West Sulawesi and a mall, Sudirman Samual, a journalist based in Mamuju, north of the epicentre, told Reuters.
At least one route into Mamuju had been cut off, he said, due to damage to a bridge.
Hours earlier on Thursday, a 5.9-magnitude earthquake struck in the same district damaging several houses.
Indonesia’s disaster agency said a series of quakes in the past 24 hours had caused at least three landslides, and the electricity supply had been cut.
Straddling the so-called Pacific ‘Ring of Fire’, Indonesia, a nation of high tectonic activity, is regularly hit by earthquakes.
In 2018, a devastating 6.2-magnitude quake and subsequent tsunami struck the city of Palu, in Sulawesi, killing thousands of people.
Latest Stories
-
Let’s come out in our numbers and vote for Bawumia to protect the good works of NPP – Nana Owusu Barimah III
8 mins -
Trump says ready to use military, national emergency for mass deportations
3 hours -
Spirit Airlines files for bankruptcy protection
3 hours -
Diddy called witnesses from prison, prosecutors say
3 hours -
Cholera outbreak: Central region records 7 deaths, 47 confirmed and 720 suspected cases
3 hours -
Regions begin receiving EC’s election materials ahead of polls
4 hours -
Eudirok Investment launches Regional Smart Cities Project
4 hours -
Expired rice: I’m disappointed in Frema Opare’s comment, she also wants to be clearing agent – Ablakwa
4 hours -
Prof. Samuel Ato Duncan launches historic blueprint for global sustainable peace
4 hours -
‘My heart bleeds’- Kurt Okraku reacts to Black Stars’ AFCON failure
5 hours -
Life Care Technology MD Ing. Bishoy Fouad honoured at 2024 Ghana Philanthropy Awards
5 hours -
I won’t resign as Black Stars coach – Otto Addo
6 hours -
Free SHS: Expired rice distribution saga is mere propaganda – Chief of Staff
6 hours -
We knew we could beat Ghana- Niger coach Badou Zaki
6 hours -
Former NSMQ ‘shark’ returns to school, says the future is bright
6 hours