Quake rattles Indonesia’s Sumatra island, killing at least 7 people

Main college college students evacuate from the varsity constructing after a 6.2 magnitude earthquake in Sumatra Island, Indonesia, February 25, 2022 on this photograph taken by Antara Foto. Antara Foto/ Iggo El Fitra/ through REUTERS

JAKARTA, Feb 25 (Reuters) – A magnitude 6.1 earthquake killed not less than seven folks and injured dozens extra when it struck inland close to the western coast of Indonesia’s Sumatra island on Friday, with tremors additionally felt in neighbouring Malaysia and Singapore, officers stated.

The quake brought about residents to flee buildings in some areas and triggered evacuations almost 400km (250 miles) away in Malaysia.

“We proceed to watch and advise folks to stay on alert,” Dwikorita Karnawati, the top of Indonesia’s geophysics company BMKG, informed MetroTV. The company initially put the magnitude at 6.2.

The catastrophe mitigation company stated seven have been killed and 85 have been injured. Its chief stated some buildings, together with a authorities workplace, properties and a financial institution sustained harm.

A hospital was evacuated in West Pasaman, about 17 km (10.6 miles) from the epicentre, whereas a witness stated residents in different areas panicked because the earthquake shook buildings for over a minute, rattling glass home windows and furnishings.

“Individuals gathered exterior their properties and workplaces. They have been terrified of the tremors. Cables have been shaking,” stated Frans Kiky Nainggolan, a shopkeeper dwelling in Riau province on Sumatra.

Authorities within the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur acquired calls about tremors felt within the metropolis, although there had been no stories of accidents or harm.

“I felt the tremors for one to 2 minutes…We evacuated quick and others from one other ground additionally,” stated Hilfa Akmal, who lives on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur.

Singapore police stated on Twitter that they had additionally acquired calls from folks reporting tremors, although there have been no stories of accidents.

Indonesia suffers frequent earthquakes, straddling the so-called “Pacific Ring of Fireplace”, a seismically energetic zone the place completely different plates of the earth’s crust meet.

The fault alongside Sumatra island will be notably energetic and harmful. In 2004, an enormous 9.1 magnitude quake and a tsunami off the northern tip of Sumatra killed 226,000 folks in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand and 9 different nations.

Reporting by Angie Teo, Fransiska Nangoy, Stanley Widianto, Bernadette Christina; Further reporting by Rozanna Latiff in Kuala Lumpur and Aradhana Aravindan in Singapore
Modifying by Ed Davies and Kanupriya Kapoor

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