Death toll from earthquake in Indonesia reaches 42

The death toll arising from the 6.2 magnitude earthquake which rocked Indonesia’s Sulawesi Island, trapping dozens and injuring over 600 people in the process has risen from 34 to 42.

This was contained in a statement issued on Saturday by Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency which revealed that rescue workers are still searching for people trapped under the rubble.

The statement further added that dozens of bodies have been hauled from beneath crumpled buildings in Mamuju, a city of about 110,000, while others were killed south of the area after the quake struck.

“The latest data we have is 45” dead, said Arianto from the rescue agency in Mamuju, who like many Indonesians goes by one name.

READ ALSO: Body parts, wreckage of ill-fated Indonesian airliner found in Java Sea

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.

“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.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now