An earthquake measuring 7.7 on the Richter scale, which struck eastern Indonesia on Saturday, has claimed the lives of at least 38 people, according to a spokesperson for the disaster management agency.
“The deaths of 38 people have been confirmed; two have been seriously injured and 11 have sustained minor injuries,” said Suharyanto, head of the National Disaster Management Agency, at a press conference.
He added that around 2,000 people had been evacuated to safer areas.
Suharyanto said that residents remain trapped in several buildings in the areas affected by the earthquake, and there are reports of landslides blocking several roads.
The epicentre was in Pematangsiantar, approximately 126 kilometres south-east of the island’s capital, Medan. The earthquake occurred at a depth of 183 kilometres. The AFP news agency also reports that a second strong earthquake, measuring 6.9 on the Richter scale, was recorded in Indonesia on Saturday – on the island of Sumatra.
Indonesia is situated on the so-called ‘Pacific Ring of Fire’ – a zone of high seismic activity at the interface of several tectonic plates.