At least 91 people were killed and 200 were injured as a 6.9-magnitude earthquake and strong aftershocks hit the Indonesian resort islands of Bali and Lombok on Sunday, CNN reported. The death toll is expected to rise.
Disaster officials said 358 tourists had been evacuated so far, according to AFP. More than 100 aftershocks have been reported since the earthquake, including a 5.3-magnitude shock that had its epicentre 36 km northeast of the city of Mataram, around 8 am local time (6.30 am Indian time), The Guardian reported.
The country’s Tsunami Early Warning System had issued a tsunami warning after the main quake but it was lifted several hours later, said the country’s National Disaster Management Agency.
The Indonesian Red Cross reported that four of its volunteers were injured and transported to a hospital. The group posted images of destruction on Lombok.
Hundreds of people have been taken to hospitals and thousands of homes have been damaged, Arifin Muhammad Hadi, head of disaster management of the Indonesian Red Cross Society, told CNN.
Emergency services at hospitals such as the West Nusa Tenggara Provincial General Hospital in Mataram are reportedly overwhelmed with patients. A few hospitals are said to be so full that patients are being treated in parking lots.
The Indonesia disaster management agency has ordered schools in Lombok, east Lombok and Mataram to remain closed on Monday as buildings are reportedly not safe for students to enter.
Last week, at least 17 people were killed in Lombok in an earthquake. The Indonesian archipelago is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, an area of intense seismic and volcanic activity.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!