7 killed, 85 injured as strong earthquake hits Indonesia

Jakarta: Seven people were killed and 85 others wounded as a 6.1-magnitude quake destroyed more than 10,000 buildings, houses and infrastructure facilities in Indonesia's western province of west Sumatra, a senior official said.

The earthquake took place on Friday. Earlier the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) issued a report saying the quake measured 6.2-magnitude before revising it to 6.1, the agency's Head Dwikorita Karnawati said.

Acting spokesperson of the National Disaster Management and Mitigation Agency, Abdul Muhari said three people were killed in Pasaman Barat district and four others in Pasaman district, adding that all the 85 wounded persons were recorded in both districts, which were the hardest hit by the disaster, Xinhua news agency reported.

The natural disaster has forced nearly 5,000 people to flee home and take shelter at 35 evacuation centres, he added.

The search and rescue operation for the missing persons and impacted ones is still underway, involving a joint task force comprising policemen, disaster agency personnel, soldiers, rescuers, volunteers and residents, the Spokesperson added.

"The joint task force still focuses on search, rescue and evacuation as well as services for the quake-affected persons," he said in a statement.

The Head of the National Disaster Management Agency, Lt. Gen. Suharyanto has ordered that emergency relief needs should be immediately prepared after the quake, according to the Spokesperson.

The tremors have destroyed more than 10,000 houses and buildings in Pasaman district and Pasaman Barat district, the Head of the Operation Unit of the Disaster Management and Mitigation Agency of west Sumatra province, Jumaidi, told Xinhua.

The quake jolted at 8:39 a.m. Jakarta time (0139 GMT), with the epicentre at 17 km northeast of Pasaman Barat district and the shallow of 10 km under the earth, the BMKG said.