Powerful Earthquake Kills at Least 162 in Indonesia; Toll Expected to Mount

NYT WORLD: Powerful Earthquake Kills at Least 162 in Indonesia; Toll Expected to Mount
By Seth Mydans
Section: World
Source: New York Times
Published Date: November 21, 2022 at 02:00AM

The quake on the nation’s main island, Java, destroyed hundreds of buildings, and officials feared that many people were still trapped beneath the rubble.

BANGKOK — A powerful earthquake struck Indonesia’s main island of Java on Monday, killing at least 162 people, injuring hundreds more and shaking tall buildings in the capital, Jakarta, 60 miles away. Many people were believed to be still trapped beneath the rubble, leading to fears that the death toll would sharply increase.

The magnitude 5.6 earthquake — which struck near the city of Cianjur, one of the most disaster-prone districts in Indonesia — caused the collapse of hundreds of buildings and triggered landslides that prevented many people from reaching the city’s main hospital.

Emergency workers and others scrambled overnight to find people trapped in the debris. But rescue efforts were hampered because the hospital itself was damaged and had lost electrical power, said Herman Suherman, a government official in Cianjur.

“This is overwhelming,” Mr. Suherman said, adding that the hospital was desperate for more doctors to treat the flood of injuries and for a restoration of power. He said that many people, unable to reach the main hospital, were being treated wherever they were injured.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/21/world/asia/indonesia-earthquake-java.html

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