(COLOMBO, LANKAPUVATH) –At least seven people have died and hundreds more injured after a 6.2-magnitute earthquake hit Indonesia’s Sulawesi island early Friday, the country’s disaster mitigation agency said.
The epicentre of the quake, which struck at 1.28 a.m. Indonesian time, was six kilometers (3.73 miles) northeast of Majene city at a depth of 10 kilometers, according to Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency.
The Disaster Management Agency of Majene said four residents had died and more than six hundred were injured, while the neighboring area of Mamuju reported three fatalities and two dozen injuries.
Some 3,000 residents fled their homes to seek safety following the quake, which could be felt strongly for five to seven seconds and damaged at least 62 houses, according to the country’s National Board for Disaster Management (BNPB).
Several tall buildings have also been badly damaged, including the Mitra Manakara private hospital, hotels and government building, local police commissioner told CNN.
Many people are still trapped under collapsed buildings, according to local search and rescue teams. (CNN)
