Two people have been killed by a magnitude 7.2 earthquake that rocked the Molucca Islands in Eastern Indonesia. This was made known by officials on Monday.
The earthquake was also said to have damaged dozens of homes and buildings.
“Two women were killed on Sunday after they were hit by debris from their homes on Halmahera Island, said Agus Wibowo, spokesman for the National Disaster Management Agency.
“Rescue workers are trying to reach affected areas by land and sea,” he told reporters.
Agus disclosed that at least 58 homes were damaged and more than 2,000 people have sought refuge in government buildings.
The Agency said that the Sunday quake sparked panic on islands in North Maluku province. It had occurred at a depth of 10 kilometers with its epicenter located inland, North of Ternate city.
Earlier, South Halmahera district chief Bahrain Kasuba had said scores of homes and other buildings were damaged in several villages.
“The number (of homes damaged) could be in the hundreds as some houses were flattened,” Bahrain was quoted as saying by new portal Kompas.com.
Indonesia sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, an area known for frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
(dpa/NAN)