Thousands of houses have been destroyed, many people have died, and the injured can no longer be counted. After the devastating earthquake on the island of Java, rubble is piling up around the town of Cianjur. Rescue teams are using excavators to reach cut-off areas.
The day after the devastating earthquake on the Indonesian island of Java, the extent of the destruction is becoming increasingly clear. According to authorities, at least 162 people were killed as a result of the 5.6 magnitude tremor. Hundreds more were injured, some seriously. Many houses collapsed and there were landslides. The number of victims could therefore continue to rise. According to a spokesman for the city of Cianjur, dozens of children are among the dead.
The epicenter of the quake was near Cianjur – on land, which explains the enormous damage. It was initially unclear whether there were still people buried under the rubble and masses of earth. About 300 people were very seriously injured, said Henri Alfiandi, head of the national emergency services. “These are people who are so injured that they cannot walk. But there are too many injured people to count,” he told journalists. The hospitals were completely overcrowded.
The government sent backhoes and dump trucks to clear access to areas cut off from the outside world by mudslides. “This will allow us to send relief supplies, health workers and food,” said a ministry spokesman. In addition, tents should be brought to the region.
According to the authorities, more than 2,300 buildings have been damaged in total, many of which are uninhabitable. The earthquake occurred at noon (local time) about 70 kilometers south-east of the capital Jakarta at a depth of ten kilometers. It was also clearly felt in Jakarta. High-rise buildings swayed, but no major damage was initially reported in the city. Indonesia has around 270 million inhabitants, more than half of whom live on the main island of Java. The island nation lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire, the most geologically active zone on earth.