Jakarta [Indonesia]: The death toll from an earthquake on Indonesia’s main island of Java jumped to 268 on Tuesday.
At least 268 people have died as of about 5:30 p.m. local time, according to the head of Indonesia’s National Disaster Mitigation Agency who was speaking at a press conference, reported ABC News. Officials said that more than 1,000 people were injured. The National Disaster Mitigation Agency said that 151 people are still missing. It also said that 22,000 houses had been damaged in the region.
US Geological Survey data said the 5.6 magnitude quake struck Cianjur town in west Java, at a shallow depth of 10 km. The area where the quake struck is densely-populated and prone to landslides. Rescuers have been working to try to save others, who might still be trapped under collapsed buildings.
As bodybags emerged from crumpled buildings in Indonesia’s most populous province, rescue efforts turned to any survivors still under debris in areas made hard to reach by the mass of obstacles thrown onto the roads by the quake.
So far, a total of 1,083 people have been injured with 151 people still missing or unaccounted for, the official said in Tuesday’s press conference. More than 58,000 people have been displaced and numbers could still potentially rise, reported ABC News.
Indonesia’s President, Joko Widodo, went to the site of the quake and expressed his condolences.
