34 feared killed, 600 injured, dozens trapped as 6.2 magnitude earthquake rocks Indonesia

Tragedy struck in Indonesia’s Sulawesi island when a 6.2 magnitude earthquake rocked the area killing no fewer than 34 people and injuring 600 others in the process.

Rescue operatives say several others were trapped during the earthquake which struck in the early hours of Friday, toppling buildings on the island.

Reports say more than a dozen patients and staff are trapped beneath the rubble of a hospital that was flattened by the quake with at least 15,000 people displaced following the incident.

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“The hospital is flattened – it collapsed,” said Arianto from the rescue agency in Mamuju city, who goes by one name.

“There are patients and hospital employees trapped under the rubble and we’re now trying to reach them,” he said without giving a specific figure.

Ali Rahman, head of Mamuju’s disaster mitigation agency said; “That number dead people could grow but we hope it won’t… Many of the dead are buried under rubble.”

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