Resident in Southwest Sumba Reported Dead Following Earthquake
The North Kodi Sector Police, West Sumba Police, East Nusa Tenggara Regional Police, have reported that a 73-year-old elderly person in North Kodi has died following a 6.1 magnitude earthquake that struck the area.
“One person has been reported dead in the North Kodi area. The victim was an elderly person who died due to shock when the earthquake occurred,” said North Kodi Police Chief, AKP Bernadus Bili Kandi, as quoted from Antara on Sunday (4/10).
He stated that the elderly individual was startled when seeing several family members rushing out of the house as the 6.1 magnitude earthquake shook the region. The victim had initially made it outside the house, but after a few minutes, they collapsed, lost consciousness, and passed away.
Following the earthquake, the victim’s family immediately laid the body to rest at their home.
Regarding damage to houses and buildings, he noted that many homes and one school were severely damaged by the earthquake. “We cannot yet confirm the full extent of the damage. The Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) team and officials have been conducting further data collection since this morning,” he said.
A 6.1 magnitude earthquake struck Southwest Sumba Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, on Sunday at 06:55 WITA.
“The earthquake’s epicentre was located at sea, 14 km southwest of Kodi, Southwest Sumba, at a depth of 10 km, with coordinates 9.70 LS-118.92 BT. The earthquake was reported to have no tsunami potential,” stated the Acting Head of the BNPB Disaster Data, Information, and Communication Centre, Berton SP Panjaitan, in his statement.
Based on preliminary monitoring by the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), strong tremors were felt for approximately one minute across several areas, including Southwest Sumba Regency, West Sumba Regency, and West Manggarai Regency.
The BNPB has urged local residents to remain calm, avoid being influenced by unverified rumours, and ensure that information is sourced from official agencies. In the event of aftershocks, the public is advised to avoid cracked buildings and to stay away from coastal areas temporarily.