Quake damages over 100 houses

TERNATE, Maluku: One hundred and eight houses in Galela district, North Maluku regency, are in various states of disrepair after an earthquake and a number of aftershocks hit the region last Thursday, Antara reported yesterday.

Mochamad Iksan of the regency's social services office said the affected areas included the villages of Soasio, Toweka, Limau and Lalonga. There were no report of fatalities.

"Our office is ready to supply the residents with food and water," Iksan said.

The quake, measuring 5.0 on the open-ended Richter scale, jolted Halmahera Island and North Ternate on Thursday. By Sunday eleven aftershocks, measuring between four and five on the Richter scale, had been recorded, according to Ariyo Fauzi of the local meteorology and geophysics office. (swe)