Indonesian, November 25, 2022: Now let’s shift our focus to what’s happening in Indonesia. Monday’s devastating earthquake killed more than 250 people. Authorities are still sifting through the rubble looking for survivors.
A 5.6 magnitude earthquake hit West Java on Monday afternoon. It is Indonesia’s most populous province. The earthquake epicenter was just about 75 kilometers away from the capital Jakarta. It was near the town of Sanju, a town of 175,000 people.
The earthquake was a shallow one. Its focus was only around 10 kilometers beneath the surface. This resulted in extensive damage. Many buildings have collapsed. The quake also triggered landslides in the area. People were buried beneath both mud and debris.
Rescue workers are still looking for survivors. Many searches for their families. The landslides buried a family member’s house. During an interview, one person told us that three of his relatives are unaccounted for.
He too has missing family members. He was examining the rubble that used to be his house. His uncle’s family lived next door. Three adults and three children from his family haven’t been found yet.
Another woman was injured during the earthquake. Her house collapsed beneath her. She was at home with her children when the earthquake hit. One of them is still missing.
One of her kids is still missing. Her house is flattened. God good to have her kids survive. She dug them up. And this one, two others she brought here and one is still missing.
More than 260 people have died. More than 58,000 people have been displaced. But these are the numbers so far. The figures will change as the rescue work progresses.
And officials spoke about the difficulties they are facing during the rescue work. The rescue operation has been difficult because the condition of the Earth is sticky and the tools to evacuate are inadequate. We don’t have enough excavators.
Power outages and almost 117 aftershocks have also complicated rescue efforts. Even those who have been rescued are facing issues. They say drinking water is in short supply.
There’s a dearth of medicines and blankets to Indonesia is no stranger to earthquakes. The country lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire. It’s a string of volcanoes that surrounds the Pacific Ocean. These are formed due to the movement of tectonic plates.
The plate movement makes this area prone to earthquakes and tsunamis. Indonesia has often suffered as a result. A 6.2 magnitude earthquake hit the country in February this year.
25 people lost their lives. Another 6.2 magnitude quake killed more than 100 people in January last year. And of course, the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami killed hundreds of 1000s. Most of the victims were from Indonesia.
