JAKARTA – A powerful earthquake that struck Indonesia’s Sulawesi island last week has killed at least 81 people and displaced more than 19,000, the country’s disaster mitigation agency said, as search and rescue efforts continued on Monday.
The 6.2-magnitude quake, part of a string of disasters to hit the Southeast Asian archipelago in recent weeks, struck West Sulawesi in the early hours of Friday morning, sending thousands fleeing from their beds.
Disaster mitigation spokesman Raditya Jati said in a statement on Monday that 81 people were confirmed to have died, while more than 250 had been seriously injured.
There was also significant damage to hundreds of homes, a mall, a hospital and several hotels.
With thousands displaced, authorities were also working to stem the spread of the coronavirus among evacuees, including by conducting rapid antigen tests, the official said. (Reuters)
