JAKARTA, Nov 23 — The death toll in Monday’s 5.6 magnitude earthquake in Cianjur district, West Java, has risen to 271 with 40 people still missing, the official said.
At least 2,043 people were injured and 61,908 people were placed in relief centres after 56,320 houses were damaged, based on data compiled as at 5 pm local time today.
Indonesian National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) chief Suharyanto, in a virtual briefing, said 6,000 personnel comprising BNPB, military and police involved in search and rescue operations.
Rescuers are in a race against time to search for survivors as aftershocks and rain hamper rescue efforts in the district’s mountainous area.
According to a London-based non-governmental organisation Save the Children, the earthquake had killed scores of schoolchildren and injured dozens as ocurred while classes were underway.
Its response team leader in Cianjur, Fadli Usman said the tremors forced children in 80 schools to flee their classrooms shortly after lunchtime.
“We don’t know yet how many children have been injured or killed, but this earthquake struck when classrooms were full of children. Many fled in tears, not knowing what was happening.
“We cannot underestimate the psychological impact such a traumatic event can have on children and we need to do everything we can to protect them,” he said.
Save the Children has joined the authorities and other aid agencies in supplying tents as temporary shelters for families who have lost their homes as well as food, water, blankets and medical supplies.
The recent earthquake was the most deadly in Indonesia after the 2018 Sulawesi earthquake and tsunami that claimed about 4,340 lives.
