Multiple deaths in Indonesia caused by last night’s earthquake

World News Rudolph Rodriquez
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Death toll reaches 52 in the earthquake produced on Wednesday, in the province of Aceh, Indonesia.

There are still dozens of people under the rubble, informed AFP from an official source.

The earthquake with magnitude 6.5 SR occurred the previous morning at a shallow depth, north from Reuleuet in western Indonesia, announced the American Institute of Geophysics (USGS).

No tsunami warning was issued after the earthquake, but many houses, shops and other buildings collapsed and trapped underneath dozens of people.

The quake was felt especially in Aceh, confirmed an official of the Agency for Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics in Indonesia.

At least five aftershocks followed the main quake, he added.

A local hospital was overwhelmed by the arrival of the wounded and was forced to send some of them to other hospitals in the neighborhood, said the Deputy District Officer of Pidie Jaya, Mulyadi.

Among the victims, there are also seven children.

Officials announced that the earthquake collapsed several buildings and warned that the death toll could rise. The rescuing teams now proceed extensive operation searching survivors.

The quake was also felt in Banda Aceh province, where people left their homes and spent several hours in the streets.

In 2004, a violent undersea earthquake killed over 170,000 people in Aceh province and other thousands in bordering countries in the Indian Ocean. The quake totaled the deaths of 220,000 people.

Indonesia is located in the so-called ‘Ring of Fire’ area, that is known to concentrate approximately 85% of the seismic and volcanic activity on Earth.