Strong earthquake topples houses in Java; 162 dead

INDONESIA'S METEOROLOGY, CLIMATOLOGY, AND GEO-PHYSICAL AGENCY RECORDED AT LEAST 25 AFTERSHOCKS

Highlights

• “The majority of those who died were children,” the Governor said. Many were public school students who had finished their regular classes for the day and were taking extra lessons at Islamic schools, he said
• He said more than 13,000 people whose homes had been heavily damaged were being taken to evacuation centres 
• Residents, some crying and holding children, fled damaged homes after the magnitude 5.6 quake shook the region in West Java province in the late afternoon, at a depth of 10 kilometres

CIANJUR (INDONESIA): A strong, shallow earthquake toppled buildings and walls on Indonesia’s densely populated main island on Monday, killing at least 162 people and injuring hundreds of others as residents fled into the street, some covered in blood and debris.

Officials were gathering information on the toll of those injured and killed by the quake in the remote area. West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil said the number of confirmed dead had risen to 162.

“The majority of those who died were children,” the Governor said. Many were public school students who had finished their regular classes for the day and were taking extra lessons at Islamic schools, he said.

Cianjur is known for having a large number of Islamic boarding schools and mosques. “So many incidents occurred at several Islamic schools,” Kamil said.