Indonesia: The number of fatalities from an Earthquake on Indonesia’s main island of Java, is increasing as rescuers look for survivors among the debris and family members began to bury their loved ones.

Mr. Ridwan Kamil, the Governor of West Java, told the media that the area has received almost 140 shocks since the Earthquake on November 21st. At least 268 people, including many children, have died so far. Over 1,000 individuals have been hurt, and over 151 people are still missing.

Hundreds of responders have been dispatched to Cianjur to expedite the rescue. But the damaged roadways and ongoing tremors have thwarted their attempts.

“The follow-up Earthquake is still happening. Currently, we are coordinating to focus on search and rescue…many people are still missing mostly in remote areas mountain tops,” the Governor of West Java shared.

Mr Kamil also commented that, the Government would repair damaged houses, adding that residents living in “vulnerable” areas would be told not to build future houses there.

The 5.6 magnitude Earthquake occurred close to the densely populated town shortly after lunchtime on November 21st, reducing scores of buildings to rubble. The mountainous West Java region has witnessed landslides that buried entire villages. Earthquakes are common in Indonesia, which sits on the “ring of fire” area of tectonic activity in the Pacific.

The nation has a history of severe tremors and tsunamis with almost 2,000 people lost in an earthquake on the island of Sulawesi in 2018.

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