Indonesia earthquake: While no loss of lives or damage to property has been reported so far due to the earthquake, it comes as Indonesia grapples with massive floods.
A strong 6.3-magnitude earthquake jolted Sumatra Island in Indonesia, compounding problems for the Southeast Asian country already grappling with flash floods and landslides, which have claimed over 25 lives. The earthquake near Aceh province was 10 kilometres deep and has no tsunami potential, Reuters reported.
Located near the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, Indonesia is highly vulnerable to earthquakes and volcanic activity. While no loss of lives or damage to property has been reported so far due to the quake, it comes as the country has been grappling with massive floods due to relentless rainfall brought by Cyclone Senyar, which made landfall on Wednesday.
MASSIVE FLOODS SUBMERGE HOMES
The flash floods, which mostly affected North Sumatra province, have left 28 dead and dozens missing. Rescue teams are racing against time to reach isolated communities, even as damaged roads and persistent rain slowed down operations.
Incessant rain over the past two days forced rivers in North Sumatra to overflow, sending mud and rocks crashing through six subdivisions.
Visuals on social media showed several homes being submerged by fast-moving water as families fled to higher ground. In some areas, visuals showed flooded roads filled with muck and carrying tree trunks and debris.
In Central Tapanuli, landslides crushed several homes, while severe flooding submerged nearly 2,000 houses. In South Tapanuli, falling trees killed eight people. More than 2,800 residents from the region have been shifted to temporary shelters.
Indonesia sees heavy rain in the period between October and March, triggering floods and endangering the lives of millions who live along the floodplains or on steep, landslide-prone hillsides.
