Quake injures dozens, destroys hundreds of buildings

Nani Farida and Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh/Medan

A strong earthquake rocked parts of Aceh province and neighboring North Sumatra on Saturday morning, injuring at least 43 people and destroying or damaging hundreds of houses, shops and offices.

No casualties were reported, but doctors in Aceh said seven of the injured victims were in critical condition and required surgery.

Officials in Aceh said around 200 houses and six government offices were severely damaged, while at least 100 families had taken refuge in mosques and emergency shelters.

"Houses on Jl. Tuanku Diujung in Suka Java village collapsed, as did others in Air Dingin village," said Danirus, a security guard at the Semeuleu regent's office in Aceh.

He said the quake destroyed a large structure in the regent's complex and the buildings of the local fisheries and justice offices.

Semeuleu is an island in Aceh province that has a population of more than 66,000 people, where the strong earthquake was centered. The island is located around 170 kilometers west of Medan, North Sumatra. Semeuleu comprises five districts and 75 villages.

Local villagers said the quake lasted between two and five minutes. They were advised by the Semeuleu administration to stay outdoors in anticipation of ensuing after shocks.

Elsewhere, thousands of panicked residents, including officials and workers in state and private buildings in Aceh and Medan, fled their houses and buildings when the quake struck.

There were no reports of damage in North Sumatra.

Officials at the Medan-based Meteorology and Geophysics Agency (BMG) said the earthquake measured 5.6 on the Richter scale and struck at 8:26 a.m.

However, Australian scientists in Canberra said the quake measured 7.7 on the Richter scale and was centered 200 kilometers offshore from Medan.

Tremors were felt in Medan city and a number of areas in Aceh, including Lhokseumawe, Tapaktuan, Meulaboh and Banda Aceh. In Medan, it lasted 15 seconds.

Residents of Tapaktuan in South Aceh district and others in Medan said it was an "extremely strong" quake.

"This quake resulted from the natural process caused by a lithosphere movement," Rivuar, a BMG official in Medan, told The Jakarta Post.

Rivuar's colleague Satya Rambe said the quake crippled the communications lines between Simeleu and Medan.

Rivuar said signs of the quake had been detected before it struck and warned that after shocks of lesser strength could follow.

Last year, a similar quake rocked Tapanuli regency in North Sumatra, leaving at least 29 houses destroyed and 29 others damaged. No casualties were reported.

Mark Leonard of Geoscience Australia said an earthquake of such a size occurred only two or three times in the world in any year.

"It's about the same magnitude of the very destructive Gujarat quake in India two years ago (which killed thousands of people). It's that kind of size," he was quoted by AFP as saying.

"It's not likely to be as destructive because it was offshore," he added.