Rescuers search desperately for survivors as Indonesian quake kills dozens of people
Rescue teams are scrambling to get to the region closest to the epicentre of an Indonesian earthquake where landslides have blocked roads.
After a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck off Indonesia's eastern Flores island, rescuers are desperately searching for survivors among the rubble. The quake killed 48 people and injured around 50, according to disaster officials. The death toll was initially reported as 40 before being raised. Rescue official Fathur Rahman stated that 50 people were injured in the quake.
Nearly 160 houses, educational and health facilities, and other public buildings were damaged. The government sent 50,000 aid packages weighing 275 tonnes to the area, and the European Union offered assistance from Copernicus Earth observation satellites. The epicenter of the shallow quake was located off the north coast of the island.
A second, deeper earthquake was measured near Pematangsiantar on Sumatra island, but there were no initial reports of damage or casualties. Residents in Nagekeo, close to the epicenter, fled to higher ground fearing a possible tsunami, though a tsunami warning was later lifted.
Written by urgent.news from SBS News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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