Death Toll Rises to 162 in Indonesia 5.6 Magnitude Earthquake... "Many Students Included"

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] The death toll from the magnitude 5.6 earthquake that struck West Java Province, Indonesia, on the afternoon of the 21st (local time) has risen to 162, according to reports from AP and others.

According to the reports, Ridwan Kamil, governor of West Java Province, Indonesia, stated at a press conference that 162 people died and 326 were injured due to the earthquake. Governor Kamil said that most of the deceased were students attending additional classes at schools, and that the school buildings collapsed, trapping the students inside.

Since buildings collapsed and people are buried, and some of the injured are seriously hurt, there is a possibility of additional fatalities. Governor Kamil appealed, "Many residents are trapped at the accident site. The number of injured and dead is expected to continue increasing over time," adding that there are areas inaccessible to rescue teams.

Earlier, the Indonesian Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency (BMKG) reported that a magnitude 5.6 earthquake occurred at 1:21 p.m. in Cianjur, West Java Province. The epicenter depth was 10 km. After the earthquake, aftershocks have continued.

It is estimated that nearly 14,000 people have been displaced due to this earthquake. According to the National Disaster Management Agency's tally, about 2,000 houses in Cianjur were damaged, along with Islamic boarding schools, hospitals, and places of worship.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

The earthquake also caused some buildings to shake in Jakarta, the capital located about 70 km in a straight line from Cianjur, leading to evacuation chaos. In Jakarta’s central business district, where high-rise buildings are concentrated, people inside evacuated outside as the buildings shook.

Dwi Sarmadi, who works at an Islamic educational foundation and was waiting for treatment at a hospital, told AP, "The buildings completely collapsed. I was working in an office building that did not collapse, but the earthquake hit strongly, causing things to fall down in heaps, some even falling on my legs."

Another person waiting at the hospital, Hasan, described the chaotic situation inside the building during the earthquake, saying, "I saw friends running out of the building, but I was too late to leave and hit a wall, fainting."

The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency explained that in Cianjur, the earthquake was felt at intensity level 5, while in Jakarta it was at levels 2 to 3. Intensity level 5 means almost everyone feels the shaking and dishes or windows may break, while level 3 corresponds to vibrations similar to a large truck passing by.

Indonesia is located on the so-called "Ring of Fire," the Pacific Rim seismic zone, where earthquakes frequently occur. In December 2004, a magnitude 9.1 megaquake triggered a massive tsunami, killing 170,000 Indonesians and a total of 220,000 people. In February this year, a magnitude 6.2 strong earthquake struck western Sumatra Island, resulting in more than 25 deaths.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.