14 dead, 162 hurt in Indonesian earthquake
Lombok’s tourist island devastated; 1,000 houses wrecked
The death toll from a strong earthquake that struck Indonesia’s popular tourist island of Lombok has risen to 14, with more than 160 injured. The quake damaged more than 1,000 houses and was felt in nearby Bali, where no damage or casualties were reported. The US Geological Survey says the magnitude 6.4 quake struck at a depth of 7 kms.
An official from Indonesia’s Disaster Mitigation Agency says East Lombok district was the hardest hit with 10 deaths, including a Malaysian tourist. He says the number of casualties could increase as data was still being collected from other locations on the island. He said at least 162 people were injured, including 67 hospitalised with serious injuries.
A spokesman for Indonesia’s Disaster Mitigation Agency says the death toll from a shallow, magnitude 6.4 earthquake on Lombok Island has increased to 10 with 40 injured.
The spokesman, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, says the number of casualties could increase further as data is still being collected from other locations on the popular tourist island, which sits next to Bali.
He said East Lombok district was the hardest hit with eight deaths, including a Malaysian national. The quake triggered a large landslide from Mount Rinjani. Authorities were still monitoring its impact.
Indonesia’s disaster response agency said at least three people were killed in a magnitude 6.4 earthquake that struck Lombok Island on Sunday. The island is not far from the tourist destination of Bali, but no damage or casualties have been reported there.
Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said the three fatalities were caused by falling slabs of concrete. Several people were injured.
Photos released by the agency show damaged houses as well as the entrance of the popular Mount Rinjani National Park.