Jakarta, 6 August (BelTA - ANTARA News) - The death toll in a powerful magnitude-7 earthquake which rocked Lombok and Sumbawa Islands in West Nusa Tenggara province on Sunday night rose from 37 at 01.13 a.m. to 82 at 02.30 a.m local time on Monday, while thousands others were urged to evacuate.
National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) Head of Information Data and Public Relations Sutopo Purwo Nugroho in his message here on Monday remarked that in addition to the many casualties, hundreds of people were injured and thousands of homes were damaged.
Nugroho said most of the victims died from being hit by collapsed buildings.
Areas which bore the brunt of the devastating earthquake were North Lombok and East Lombok Districts, and Mataram city.
West Nusa Tenggara Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) reported that of the 82 casualties, 65 in North Lombok, nine in West Lombok, two in Central Lombok, four in Mataram city, and two in East Lombok.
It is estimated that the number of victims will continue to increase, but the amount of damage to the building is still being recorded.
Meanwhile, the joint apparatus continued to evacuate the victims and do the emergency treatment due to the powerful earthquake which was centered 8.3 degrees southern latitude and 116.48 degrees eastern longitude at a depth of 15 kilometers.
Following the powerful earthquake, the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) recorded 73 aftershocks as of 00:00 Monday.
