Milan, 15 Aug. (LaPresse) – The death toll from a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck the waters off the coast of Indonesia has risen to at least 20, causing buildings and homes to collapse. The China Daily news website, citing other ‘media’, reported the updated death toll from the earthquake that struck Indonesia. The authorities issued a tsunami warning and urged residents in coastal areas to move to higher ground, before lifting the warning after the Indonesian Agency for Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics reported that monitoring had not detected any significant changes in sea level that would pose a threat to coastal communities. The US Geological Survey (USGS) reported that the earthquake struck the Indonesian region of Flores at 5.58 am local time, at a depth of 10 kilometres. The epicentre was located 68 km north-north-west of the city of Ende, in East Nusa Tenggara province. The main tremor was followed by several aftershocks. The East Nusa Tenggara police chief, Rudi Darmoko, said that power cuts in towns and villages had hampered the flow of information and complicated search and rescue operations. “We are continuing to gather reports on damage and casualties, but there are communication problems,” said Darmoko.
Indonesia: 7.7-magnitude earthquake rocks the country – at least 20 dead
Milan, 15 Aug. (LaPresse) – The death toll from a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck the waters off the coast of Indonesia has risen to at least 20, causing buildings and homes to collapse. The China Daily news website, citing other ‘media’, reported the updated death toll from the earthquake that struck Indonesia. The authorities issued a tsunami warning and urged residents in coastal areas to move to higher ground, before lifting the warning after the Indonesian Agency for Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics reported that monitoring had not detected any significant changes in sea level that would pose a threat to coastal communities. The US Geological Survey (USGS) reported that the earthquake struck the Indonesian region of Flores at 5.58 am local time, at a depth of 10 kilometres. The epicentre was located 68 km north-north-west of the city of Ende, in East Nusa Tenggara province. The main tremor was followed by several aftershocks. The East Nusa Tenggara police chief, Rudi Darmoko, said that power cuts in towns and villages had hampered the flow of information and complicated search and rescue operations. “We are continuing to gather reports on damage and casualties, but there are communication problems,” said Darmoko.