Deadly earthquake leaves nearly 1,000 injured, buildings leveled in Indonesia
Indonesia's Sulawesi island was rocked by a powerful earthquake early Friday which set off landslides, left buildings in ruins and killed dozens of people, according to local authorities.
Residents were sent fleeing from their homes as the 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck around 1 a.m. local time.
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The location of the powerful earthquake that struck Indonesia early Friday morning, Jan. 15, 2021, is denoted by the star. (USGS) |
Darno Majid, chief of the disaster agency in West Sulawesi, told Reuters that the death toll is likely to climb as rescue crews scour the rubble. As of Tuesday afternoon, local time, the death toll stood at 84, according to Al Jazeera. On Monday, the number of injured stood at 923.
The epicentre of the earthquake was 22 miles (36 km) south of Mamuju, Indonesia, according to the United States Geological Survey. The temblor was rather shallow, occurring at a depth of 11 miles (18 km) below the earth's surface.
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Sitting along the Pacific's 'Ring of Fire', Indonesia is no stranger to tectonic activity.
In fact, a 5.9-magnitude earthquake struck the same district just hours earlier on Thursday.
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Residents inspect earthquake-damaged houses in Mamuju, West Sulawesi, Indonesia, Friday, Jan. 15, 2021. A strong inland and shallow earthquake hit eastern Indonesia early Friday causing people to panic in parts of the country's Sulawesi island and run to higher ground. (AP Photo/Rudy Akdyaksyah) |
Between the two earthquakes, Indonesia's disaster agency stated that at least three landslides have been triggered with many communities experiencing power outages. At least 300 homes have been damaged.
Images on social media showed the Mitra Manakarra hospital in Mamuju left in rubble, with as many as 20 people feared to be trapped underneath.
LOOK: Rescuers search for survivors at the Mitra Manakarra hospital in Mamuju city on January 15, where as many as 20 patients and staff are trapped beneath the rubble after a 6.2-magnitude earthquake rocked Indonesia's Sulawesi island. | 📷 Firdaus/AFP pic.twitter.com/Fd0aYyFkpS
— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) January 15, 2021
Damage to a bridge has cut off at least one route into Mamuju, according to Reuters.
While the inland earthquake posed no tsunami threat, residents living near the coast fled to higher ground as the ground beneath rumbled, according to The Associated Press. As many as 10,000 people are seeking refuge in temporary shelters.
An active weather pattern over Indonesia through the beginning of the week can disrupt recovery efforts as damage assessments and the search for survivors continues over the next several days.
"Periods of heavy rain and thunderstorms can return to the Sulawesi island of Indonesia on Monday as tropical disturbances tap into the moisture over the region," stated AccuWeather Meteorologist Maura Kelly.
High temperatures will be near 90 F (32 C) into the beginning of the week.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
