Powerful earthquake strikes West Papua, kills five

WWW.INFOPAPUA.ORG

West Papua News and Information

West Papua Net | Free West Papua Campaign (UK) | West Papua Action (Ireland)

Last Updated: Jan 5th, 2009 - 01:42:10


	INFO PAPUA

	Statements

	Papuan Human Rights

	Eco-Terrorism
	Freeport Mining
	LNG PB Tangguh
	Logging Activities
	Development Activities
	Papua Natures
	Papua Cultures

	Indo Neocolonialism

	Refugee Issue

	War on Terror

	Melanesia Roundup

	WARTA PAPUA MERDEKA DALAM GAMBAR

PLEASE HELP US:

DONATE with PayPal

We need your support to keep our websites and campaigns going.

We need your contributions to assist us with our Human Rights campaigns.

Please use the PayPal Donate button above to help the people of West Papua

Advanced Search

Eco-Terrorism : Papua Natures

Powerful earthquake strikes West Papua, kills five
By Jakarta (ANTARA News)
Jan 5, 2009, 01:40

Email this article
Printer friendly page

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - A series of powerful arthquakes on Sunday morning rattled the eastern Indonesian province of West Papua, cutting off power lines, killing at least five people and injuring dozens of others, officials said.

The quake hit at a shallow depth of 10 kilometres at 4:43 am (1943 GMT Saturday), about 135 kilometres north-west of Manokwari, the provincial capital of West Papua, the Meteorology and Geophysics Agency was quoted by DPA as saying.

A series of aftershocks sparked panic among residents and deterring them from returning to their homes.

An aftershock measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale, with its epicentre on land about 76 kilometres north-west of Manokwari, struck about two hours later but triggered no tsunami, the agency said.

Thousands of residents including children and the elderly could be seen thronging the roads of the blacked-out Manokwari town, and they remained outdoors even after the tsunami warning was lifted, local police officials said.

Two three-story hotels, the Mutiara and Kalidingin, collapsed following the second quake, officials said.

"A number of buildings, including three hotels, a warehouse building, were collapsed after the quakes. So far, at least five people were killed," said Panji, from the National Disaster Coordinating Agency.

Dozens of military and police personnel were called up for rescue operations, said Panji, who like many Indonesians uses only one name.

An official at Manokwari general hospital confirmed that at least 26 others people were injured, two of them in intensive care, adding that two people were still trapped under the rubble after Mutiara Hotel collapsed while three others were pulled alive from the rubble

A number of damaged buildings and homes were reported in Sorong district town but no reports of casualties.

The series of earthquakes also forced authorities to temporary shut down of Manokwari's Rendai Airport for security and safety concerns.

Indonesia, the world's largest archipelago, sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," the edge of a tectonic plate prone to seismic upheaval.

A major earthquake and subsequent tsunami struck in December 2004, leaving more than 170,000 people dead or missing in Indonesia's Aceh province and around 500,000 homeless. (*)
-----------------------
Antara News 01/04/09 12:40
2) President sends ministers to deal with Manokwari earthquakes` impacts

Jakarta (ANTARA NEWS) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono told the press here on Sunday that he had sent Public Works Minister Djoko Kirmanto, Transportation Minister Djusman Syafii Djamal and Social Affairs Minister Bachtiar Chamsyah, to Manokwari, West Papua Province, which was hit by a series of earthquakes on Sunday morning.

The three ministers had been instructed to reach the earthquake-hit location and report about the quake`s impacts as soon as possible, President Yudhoyono said on the sidelines of his visit to Ragunan Zoo, south Jakarta.

The transportation minister was sent to Manokwari because the Manokwari airport was reportedly damaged by the earthquake, according to the head of state.

The airport had to be repaired quickly to ensure smooth distribution of relief aid for the temblor`s victims, he said.

Yudhoyono said that he had talked with West Papua Governor Abraham Octavianus on the phone to coordinate emergency efforts to help local residents affected by the earthquakes.

The President said that he had received a report that four residents had been killed and a number of buildings had been seriously damaged in the disaster.

"However, we have to wait until we get complete information. The most important is that the central and regional governments have worked in accordance with the existing procedures for emergency efforts. I continue to monitor the emergency responses being done," the President said.

According to information on the BMG`s website, Papua Island, the eastern most Indonesian island, was jolted by at least 25 temblors with magnitudes ranging from 5.0 to 7.6 on the Richter scale, on Sunday morning.

The earthquakes affected Manokwari and Sorong (West Papua Province), and Biak (Papua Province).

The epicenter of the 7.6-magnitude earthquake was located at 0.88 degrees southern latitude and 133.38 degrees eastern longitude, 76 km southwest of Manokwari, at a depth of 10 km below sea level.

The temblor was felt at the II -III MMI in Sorong, and IV-V MMI in Manokwari.

Hundreds of West Papua`s residents living along coastal areas, evacuated themselves to higher ground in fear of a tsunami, which did not occurred. (*)
----------------------------

3) Child dies in Manokwari quake

The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Sun, 01/04/2009 12:06 PM | National

A 10 year old child, Yolanda Mandoafi, is the latest casualty of a A 7.6-magnitude quake that hit Manokwari early Sunday morning.

According to Papua regional deputy police chief Riadi Koni, Mandoafi's remains was found underneath rubbles of a wall.

He told Antara news agency that the remains had been taken by family members.

Two other severely wounded victims are Eka Setyawati, 25, and Mariati, 47, both of whom are undergoing treatment at Manokwari Regional Hospital, he added.

Koni further said that the two other victims said to have been rapped underneath rubbles of Hotel Mutiara had already been evacuated and taken to hospital. (amr)

Papua Natures
Latest Headlines

Powerful earthquake strikes West Papua, kills five

7.6-magnitude quake hits West Papua

Biofuels - solving poverty, destroying forests?

WEST PAPUA: Ten Oil Palm Companies to Expand to Papua