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JAKARTA (Reuters) – At least 56 people were killed after an earthquake struck Indonesia’s West Sulawesi province on Friday, the Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) said on Sunday, the latest in a series of disasters to have struck this Southeast Asian country.
More than 820 people were injured and about 15,000 left their homes after the 6.2 magnitude quake, BNPB said. Some sought refuge in the mountains, while others went to cramped evacuation centers, witnesses said.
Dwikorita Karnawati, head of the Indonesian Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysical Agency (BMKG), said another earthquake in the region could potentially trigger a tsunami.
Straddling the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, Indonesia is regularly hit by earthquakes. In 2018, a devastating magnitude 6.2 earthquake and ensuing tsunami struck the town of Palu, Sulawesi, killing thousands.
Just two weeks after the start of the new year, the world’s fourth most populous country is once again facing several disasters.
Flooding in North Sulawesi and South Kalimantan province each claimed at least five lives this month, while landslides in West Java province killed at least 28, authorities said.
On January 9, a Sriwijaya Air plane crashed in the Java Sea with 62 on board.
Semeru Mountain in east Java erupted on Saturday evening, but there have been no reports of casualties or evacuations.
Dwikorita said extreme weather conditions and other hydrometeorological “multi-hazards” are expected in the coming weeks.
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