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View all search resultsAceh quake death toll reaches 52, likely will rise: Official
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Rescuers carry a body bag containing the body of a victim recovered from under the rubble of a building that collapsed after an earthquake in Pidie Jaya, Aceh province, on Dec. 7. A strong undersea earthquake rocked Aceh province early Wednesday, killing a number of people and causing dozens of buildings to collapse. (AP/Heri Juanda)
A
strong earthquake that hit Aceh early Wednesday morning had killed at least 52 people and left 273 others injured.
“As off 1:30 p.m, at least 52 people have been killed, with another 73 being heavily wounded and 200 receiving minor injuries,” the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) data and information head Sutopo Purwonegoro said as reported by tribunnews.com.
However, Sutopo said the death toll could rise as a large number of people remained trapped in the debris.
“We predict the number of victims to increase due to many people still being trapped in the debris,” He said.
(Read also: Aceh quake victims moved amid lack of hospital staff)
Sutopo added that the 6.5-magnitude earthquake, which occurred at 5:03 a.m. centered on Pidie Jaya regency, also destroyed 105 shop houses, 125 houses, 15 mosques, a hospital and a school building.
Aceh and it surrounding areas are prone to earthquakes. In December 2004, a 9.0-magnitude quake triggered a tsunami that virtually destroyed Aceh and Nias, North Sumatra, killing more than 230,000 people. (jun)
