KATHMANDU, Nov 21: An earthquake measuring 5.6-magnitude in the Richter scale struck Indonesian island of Java on Monday killing at least 40 people and injuring hundreds, according to media reports.
Reuters reported that the quake struck on land in Cianjur town, about 75 km southeast of the capital, Jakarta, at a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles). According to the news agency, the weather and geophysics agency of Indonesia (BMKG) said that there was no possibility of a tsunami.
The BBC confirmed that more than 40 people died in the incident while Reuters, citing the disaster agency (BNPB), puts the death toll at 47. According to Reuters, the chief of BNPB told a news conference that more than 700 people were injured.
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Herman Suherman, a government official in Cianjur, reported said that some residents were trapped in the rubble of collapsed buildings. News channel Metro TV showed what appeared to be hundreds of victims being treated in a hospital parking lot, added Reuters.
Meanwhile, the BBC reproted that the tremor could be felt as far as the capital Jakarta about 100km away, where people in high-rise buildings were evacuated.
Officials warn of possible aftershocks and say the death toll could rise, BBC reported.
According to the BBC, the area where the quake struck is densely populated and prone to landslides, with poorly-built houses.
