Quake injures dozens, destroys hundreds of buildings<\/p>\n
Nani Farida and Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh\/Medan<\/p>\n
A strong earthquake rocked parts of Aceh province and neighboring
\nNorth Sumatra on Saturday morning, injuring at least 43 people
\nand destroying or damaging hundreds of houses, shops and offices.<\/p>\n
No casualties were reported, but doctors in Aceh said seven of
\nthe injured victims were in critical condition and required
\nsurgery.<\/p>\n
Officials in Aceh said around 200 houses and six government
\noffices were severely damaged, while at least 100 families had
\ntaken refuge in mosques and emergency shelters.<\/p>\n
"Houses on Jl. Tuanku Diujung in Suka Java village collapsed,
\nas did others in Air Dingin village," said Danirus, a security
\nguard at the Semeuleu regent's office in Aceh.<\/p>\n
He said the quake destroyed a large structure in the regent's
\ncomplex and the buildings of the local fisheries and justice
\noffices.<\/p>\n
Semeuleu is an island in Aceh province that has a population
\nof more than 66,000 people, where the strong earthquake was
\ncentered. The island is located around 170 kilometers west of
\nMedan, North Sumatra. Semeuleu comprises five districts and 75
\nvillages.<\/p>\n
Local villagers said the quake lasted between two and five
\nminutes. They were advised by the Semeuleu administration to stay
\noutdoors in anticipation of ensuing after shocks.<\/p>\n
Elsewhere, thousands of panicked residents, including
\nofficials and workers in state and private buildings in Aceh and
\nMedan, fled their houses and buildings when the quake struck.<\/p>\n
There were no reports of damage in North Sumatra.<\/p>\n
Officials at the Medan-based Meteorology and Geophysics Agency
\n(BMG) said the earthquake measured 5.6 on the Richter scale and
\nstruck at 8:26 a.m.<\/p>\n
However, Australian scientists in Canberra said the quake
\nmeasured 7.7 on the Richter scale and was centered 200 kilometers
\noffshore from Medan.<\/p>\n
Tremors were felt in Medan city and a number of areas in Aceh,
\nincluding Lhokseumawe, Tapaktuan, Meulaboh and Banda Aceh. In
\nMedan, it lasted 15 seconds.<\/p>\n
Residents of Tapaktuan in South Aceh district and others in
\nMedan said it was an "extremely strong" quake.<\/p>\n
"This quake resulted from the natural process caused by a
\nlithosphere movement," Rivuar, a BMG official in Medan, told The
\nJakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Rivuar's colleague Satya Rambe said the quake crippled the
\ncommunications lines between Simeleu and Medan.<\/p>\n
Rivuar said signs of the quake had been detected before it
\nstruck and warned that after shocks of lesser strength could
\nfollow.<\/p>\n
Last year, a similar quake rocked Tapanuli regency in North
\nSumatra, leaving at least 29 houses destroyed and 29 others
\ndamaged. No casualties were reported.<\/p>\n
Mark Leonard of Geoscience Australia said an earthquake of
\nsuch a size occurred only two or three times in the world in any
\nyear.<\/p>\n
"It's about the same magnitude of the very destructive Gujarat
\nquake in India two years ago (which killed thousands of people).
\nIt's that kind of size," he was quoted by AFP as saying.<\/p>\n
"It's not likely to be as destructive because it was
\noffshore," he added.<\/p>",
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