JAKARTA – The death toll rose to 91 and the number of injured people was up to 209 after a 7.0-magnitude quake hit tourist destination of Lombok Island in central Indonesia, officials said on Monday.
The jolt destroyed thousands of houses and buildings, forcing thousands of people to flee homes and take shelters, according to the National Agency for Disaster Management.
The impact of Sunday’s powerful quake extended on Monday as a rescue for tourists in three small islands is underway.
It was the second deadly quake in a week to hit Lombok. A July 29 quake killed 16 people and damaged hundreds of houses, some of which collapsed in Sunday evening’s magnitude 7.0 temblor, killing those inside.
Lombok Utara district suffers the most as it is situated the nearest to the quake center.
About 1,000 holiday makers, including foreign and domestic visitors, who have been trapped in three small popular destinations, located near main Lombok island, have been rescued.
Video shows tourists waiting for evacuation on a beach on one of the Gili islands, Indonesia. Rescue teams will mobilize more ships for evacuation, a BNPB officer said on Twitter. At least 91 were killed as a 7.0 magnitude quake struck Lombok Island on Sunday. (Video: @Sutopo_PN) pic.twitter.com/UENGiT3tYi
— Global Times (@globaltimesnews) August 6, 2018
Meanwhile, aids are flowing into the affected-areas, including foods, drugs, and medical personnel.
In order to support relief efforts, two helicopters and communication devices were sent to the scene along with one navy hospital ship.
To monitor the condition and presence of the tourists, a crisis center was established by the Ministry of Tourism.
The jolts caused minor damages in both Lombok international airport in Lombok Island and Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali Island, notwithstanding, they did not halt the operation, an official of transport ministry Pramintohadi said.
On this day in 1960, Chile was hit by most powerful earthquake ever recorded
Indonesia is prone to earthquakes because of its location on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” an arc of volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific Basin. In December 2004, a massive magnitude 9.1 earthquake off Sumatra island triggered a tsunami that killed 230,000 people in a dozen countries.
