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Seven individuals died and dozens extra had been injured when a 6.2-magnitude earthquake rocked Indonesia’s Sumatra island on Friday, with residents shuttling family members to security as buildings crumbled round them.
The quake got here simply minutes after a much less violent tremor, as terrified residents had begun evacuating their homes.
“All of us fled our residence (after the primary quake),” Yudi Prama Agustino, 36, advised AFP. “I’ve a one-year-old child, so in panic, I pushed the stroller out of the home.”
The quake hit the island’s north at a depth of 12 kilometres (7.5 miles), about 70 km from the city of Bukittinggi in West Sumatra province, in accordance with america Geological Survey (USGS).
Agustino’s hometown in Agam district is one other 40 km from Bukittinggi.
“I observed there was an earthquake as a result of my youngsters’ toys fell over. I panicked as a result of my in-laws had been additionally in the home and they’re fairly previous and sick,” Agustino stated of the primary tremor that was recorded at 5.0 by the USGS.
“As soon as we had been outdoors, a a lot stronger 6.2 quake occurred and all people panicked,” he added.
Seven individuals died and 85 had been injured in West Pasaman and Pasaman — about 17 and 20 km respectively from the epicentre — in accordance with Abdul Muhari, spokesman for the Nationwide Catastrophe Mitigation Company (BNPB).
At the least 5,000 individuals within the two districts have been evacuated.
Indonesian meteorological company BMKG warned individuals to steer clear of slopes over fears of landslides on the peak of the wet season.
The quake was felt within the neighbouring provinces of Riau and North Sumatra and as far-off as Malaysia and Singapore. No tsunami warning has been issued.
Collapsed houses
Photographs shared with AFP from Pasaman metropolis, close to the quake’s epicentre, confirmed partially collapsed homes with bricks mendacity on the bottom and holes within the partitions.
The city mayor’s residence additionally suffered injury, with shattered glass everywhere in the ground, in accordance with BNPB head Suharyanto, who like many Indonesians goes by one identify.
Tv footage confirmed sufferers being wheeled out of a hospital in West Sumatra’s provincial capital Padang.
Alim Bazar, head of Pasaman’s catastrophe mitigation company, advised AFP some buildings suffered cracks.
“The mayor known as and ordered that every one second and third flooring in each constructing needs to be vacated,” he stated.
Irpanda, a resident of Pasaman, advised Metro TV he felt each the primary and second tremors.
“At first, the quake solely lasted for a number of seconds. Individuals fled their houses and buildings close by had been swaying,” he stated.
“However then one other quake occurred and it was so robust. Extra individuals fled their homes,” he stated, including sufferers at a neighborhood hospital had been additionally moved outdoors.
Singapore, Malaysia tremors
Tremors had been additionally felt in Singapore, witnesses and police stated.
“Earth tremors had been… felt in sure elements of Singapore at about 9:45 am,” the police stated in an announcement.
The police and emergency providers “have obtained a number of calls from the general public reporting these tremors”, they added.
One Singapore resident advised AFP he felt a slight shake at residence that left him dizzy, whereas state broadcaster CNA confirmed a video of ceiling lamps swaying at a highrise house.
Malaysia’s meteorological division stated in a tweet that “vibrations” had been felt on the peninsula’s western states.
“Wow #earthquake in Kuala Lumpur,” wrote one Twitter person. “Constructing is swaying!!”
Indonesia sits on the Pacific “Ring of Fireplace”, inflicting it to expertise frequent earthquakes.
In 2004, a 9.1-magnitude quake struck the coast of Sumatra and triggered a tsunami that killed 220,000 individuals all through the area, together with about 170,000 in Indonesia.
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