West Java, earthquake victims mount: 46 dead, thousands displaced

Jakarta (AsiaNews / Agencies) – The provisional toll is at least 46 dead, 300 injured, dozens of people missing and thousands of homes destroyed, from the magnitude 7.0 earthquake that shook the island of Java yesterday afternoon, spreading panic throughout Jakarta. The quake was felt at 14.45 local time, its’ epicentre was localized in Tasikmalaya (West Java province), about 300 km south-east of the capital and 60 km east of Bandung.

The Indonesian authorities have sent specialized teams to Cianjur, in Java. Rescuers are digging through mud and debris looking for survivors, but hopes of finding others alive lessen over time. Thousands of buildings in the city, about 100 km south of Jakarta, collapsed; damage and casualties were reported even in the nearby town of Tasikmalaya.

The work of rescue teams is hampered by cut communication lines, linking the settlements in the south of the island. Currently a reliable estimate of victims and damages is impossible. About 5 thousand people have taken shelter in makeshift tents and spent the night outdoors for fear of new tremors.

The quake was felt in Jakarta, forcing all the people working on the upper floors in buildings in the capital - especially in the commercial district - to pour onto the streets in search of shelter. The quake was felt in Surabaya, the second most populous city in the country, about 500 km from the epicentre, and the island of Bali, one of the most attractive summer destinations for international tourism.

The Indonesian archipelago is at the centre of an area of intense volcanic and seismic activity, better known as the "Pacific Ring of Fire". It is one of the most prone zones to earthquakes and tsunamis around the world. In December 2004 over 170 thousand Indonesians died or are still missing following the earthquake with a magnitude of 9.15 that struck Aceh province on Sumatra, which generated a devastating tsunami.

Yesterday, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued a warning about a possible tidal wave, the result of the earthquake, with a radius of several hundred kilometers of coastline, the alert was then recalled, avoiding the risk of further casualties.