Seven dead and hundreds injured after severe earthquake in Sulawesi | NOW

A massive earthquake on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, measuring 6.2 on the Richter scale, killed at least seven people on Friday. Hundreds of people were injured, the country’s relief agency reported.

The epicenter of the earthquake was six kilometers northeast of the town of Majene, some 300 kilometers from Makassar. Four deaths occurred in Majene. Three people died in neighboring Mamuju province.

Thousands of people fled their homes in search of safer areas after the earthquake. The earthquake occurred just after midnight local time. Dozens of houses have been destroyed. Several hotels and the governor’s office were severely damaged. According to local media, several people are still buried under the rubble.

Significant aftershocks have already been felt. The Earthquake Monitoring Institute fears that if aftershocks continue, there could be a tsunami. No official warning has yet been issued on this matter.

Prior to the massive earthquake, several lighter earthquakes were observed by the disaster relief agency. These caused, among other things, landslides.

Earthquakes are more common in Indonesia. The country is located on the so-called Ring of Fire, where the continental plates collide around the Pacific Ocean. Massive earthquake hit Sulawesi in 2018 thousands of people for life.

Thousands of people tried to flee the area after the earthquake.