At least 56 people died, and hundreds were hurt in a shallow 5.6-magnitude earthquake on the main Indonesian island of Java on Monday, which collapsed buildings and trapped people.
The epicenter of the earthquake was 11 miles west-southwest of Ciranjang-hilir, Indonesia at a depth of 6.2 miles, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
Herman Suherman, the head of administration in Cianjur, confirmed that at least 56 people had died and that more than 700 sustained injuries. Suherman said “a lot of people” remained trapped with others blocked by a landslide.
Social media posts showed numerous collapsed buildings and rubble blocking streets. Emergency workers rescued at least one woman and a young child from a damaged building.
“We are continuing to update figures and the number of victims is expected to rise,” Indonesia’s Disaster Management Agency, or the BNPB, said.
The tremor could also be felt in the West Java regions including Sukabumi, Bogor and Bandung, and in the capital Jakarta about 60 miles north.
Ridwan Kamil, governor of West Java province, said aftershocks are posing a challenge as emergency crews continue their efforts to find people trapped and recover others who have died.
“We need to remain vigilant,” Kamil said. “This is disaster season at the end of the year which is frightening.”
Indonesia lies in the so-called “Pacific Ring of Fire” seismic zone and frequently experiences earthquakes, which can cause significant casualties and tsunamis.
In 2018, more than 2,000 died in a 7.5-magnitude earthquake and tsunami on the central Indonesian island of Sulawesi. Another earthquake in 2009 struck southern Sumatra, killing 1,117.
