Indonesia earthquake leaves at least 46 people killed, 700 injured

At least 46 people died in the earthquake that struck Java, the largest island in Indonesia, on Monday, according to a report by Channel News Asia citing an Indonesian government official.

According to the United States Geological Survey, a shallow 5.4 magnitude earthquake strikes West Java in Indonesia’s western province early in the morning (USGS). The epicentre of the earthquake was on land in Cianjur, about 75 kilometres southeast of Jakarta, and it was 10 kilometres deep.

Around 700 people were hurt in the West Java town, CNA reported, citing several reports.

“The latest data showed that 46 people were killed. Victims kept coming from many areas. Around 700 people were injured,” Herman Suherman, the head of the administration in Cianjur, told broadcaster Kompas TV.

He added earlier to Metro TV, that the majority of the injured, “had fractures from being trapped by the ruins of buildings.”

The Indonesian Meteorology and Geophysics Service (BMKG) reported on Monday that a 5.6-magnitude earthquake briefly shook Jakarta but did not pose a threat of a tsunami.

6.840 degrees south latitude and 107.107 degrees east longitude were found to be the locations of the epicentre. Jakarta, the nation’s capital, is the biggest city in Java.

Indonesia’s geographic and economic centre is Java, an island with numerous volcanoes that is located between Sumatra and Bali.