Quake hits Indonesia, 23 killed

A strong earthquake struck Indonesia’s eastern province of Papua early on Friday, killing at least 23 people, officials said. They said...

A strong earthquake struck Indonesia’s eastern province of Papua early on Friday, killing at least 23 people, officials said. They said over 100 people were injured in the quake which measured 6.9 on the Richter scale.

‘‘According to the latest news in the information centre, 23 people died and the number is still growing,’’ said Muhamad Son Ani, district police chief in the coastal town of Nabire.

‘‘This is only the report from the city, not counting those outside the city because communication lines are dead,’’ he said. Ani said 62 injured were treated and sent home, 30 were in a military hospital and 60 in a local hospital. The local hospital itself has been badly damaged.

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Nabire, with a population of about 26,000, is about 7 km from where Indonesian earthquake centre officials placed the quake’s epicentre.

‘‘The victims died because of fallen houses which could not endure earthquakes,” said Fauzi, coordinator of the National Earthquake Centre.

Nabire airport had been closed due to a crack in the landing strip. —( Reuters)