A 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Indonesia on Saturday, leaving at least 38 people confirmed dead.
Following the early morning tremor, tsunami waves were observed in many parts of the Southeast Asian country.
Teams have not yet reached Nagekeo, the area closest to the epicentre, and communications signals there have been impacted, according to Fathur Rahman, chairman of a state rescue agency, who told Reuters.
According to Rahman, landslides prevented one team from travelling by automobile to Nagekeo, while another team tried to travel by ferry.
According to the US Geological Survey, the epicentre of the earthquake struck at a depth of ten kilometres off the island’s north coast.
Meanwhile, sources stated that the initial quake came following two strong aftershocks in the same area, of magnitude 5.6 and 5.9.
Due to their location in the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” an arc of strong seismic activity that extends from Japan thru Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin, Indonesia and its bordering countries frequently experience earthquakes.
Indonesian officials have urged residents to move to higher ground amid fears that the death toll could rise.
Although authorities have evacuated nearly 2,000 people, Suharyanto, head of Indonesia’s national disaster mitigation agency, said victims remain trapped inside several buildings.
Backstory…
The Indonesia earthquake comes only five days after a devastating 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia on August 10, killing at least 111 people and damaging more than 1,500 structures, according to initial reports.
The Colombian quake triggered major rescue operations across areas including Chocó, Cali, Pereira and Quibdó, with authorities declaring a state of emergency.
Meanwhile, Colombia’s disaster followed two powerful earthquakes in neighbouring Venezuela in June, meaning the latest Indonesian disaster comes after a series of major earthquakes that have caused significant casualties across different parts of the world in recent months.
Venezuela’s death toll from the June earthquakes has since risen above 6,300, according to reports citing the country’s authorities.
Read Also: Major Earthquake Hits Colombia, Kills 111 Amid Search for Survivors
