Indonesia jolted with earthquakes, 3 dead

Indonesia was jolted by a series of powerful Earthquakes this morning. The Indonesian soil of the eastern region shook with force managing to kill three people and injuring scores of others. Power lines in the area were also cut due to the earthquake and it managed to damage a considerable number of buildings.

The earthquake was measured at a magnitude of 7.6 on the Richter scale. It occurred early in the morning at 4:43 am local time. The particular region where the natural disaster took place is situated at a distance of eighty five miles from Manokwari Papua. The U.S Geological Agency further reported that the initial earthquake was followed up by a powerful after shock of 7.5 magnitude.

Rescue workers dug through the rubble discovering the bodies of three Indonesians. One of the victims was a ten year old girl who managed to lose her life in the incident. The Hospital director Hengky Tewu said regarding the body of the girl “Her head was crushed. We have our ambulances picking up two more.” By that time another nineteen patients had been brought to the hospital and were receiving treatment for broken bones, crushed fingers and various other injuries.

The Papua police chief Maj. Gen Bagas Ekodanto said speaking to the news that he had heard reports of a rice warehouse collapsing as well as a huge popular hotel being completely destroyed. The police chief had not received any confirmation of deaths that may have occurred in these buildings.

Rescue workers, Police and ordinary citizens were conducting searches through the affected areas looking for possible victims. The Mutiara Hotel situated at the heart of the city of Manokwari collapsed because of the earthquake, a nurse giving medical treatment to around twenty patients that had sustained injuries in the earthquake.

The earthquake also managed to cut off the electricity supple in the coastal city. More than 167000 people ran out of their homes fearing that another tsunami was on its way. The Indonesian Meteorology and Seismology Agency was quick to issue a tsunami alert which got the frantic people running on the streets. Within an hour however the agency revoked its statement when it became clear that the epicenter of the natural disaster was on land.