Earthquake near Ambon kills five

JAKARTA (JP): Five people were killed, one person is missing and scores of others were injured when an earthquake measuring 6.5 on the Richter scale hit Falabisahaya village on Mangole island in the North Maluku regency on Sunday night, Antara reported.

The casualties were workers at the Barito Pacific Group timber company, which operates on this island located some 300 kilometers northwest of the Maluku capital of Ambon.

The victims were identified as Kusuma Dewi, Maria Pinangkaan, Jimris Pattirany, Andi Rahayanti and Thamrin Maramis, according to the news agency.

Rescue workers were still searching for more victims, while relief has been dispatched from Ambon.

Some of the injured were reported in critical condition.

"We have coordinated with the Navy to help evacuate those with serious injuries because of the limited capacity of the Falabisahaya community health center," said Maluku Vice Governor Paula Renyaan. Renyaan is in charge of the relief operations.

Medical teams, food and emergency tents have also been airlifted to the area, she said.

The news agency said that so far there are five known fatalities. One villager is missing, 11 suffered serious injuries and dozens other suffered slight wounds. As many as 52 buildings and houses in the village were damaged and 21 were destroyed.

Three buildings of the Barito Pacific Group's timber company collapsed, and four other buildings and 30 housing units were damaged.

Antara quoted Hendra Gunawan, Head of the Manado Meteorological and Geophysical Agency, as saying that the epicenter of the earthquake was situated at 1.97 degrees south latitude and 125.14 degrees east longitude at a depth of some 65 kilometers.

The earthquake was felt in North Sulawesi's capital of Manado, some 300 kilometers to the north of Mangole, and in several other islands near Central Sulawesi. There were no reports from these areas of casualties or damage. (aan)