41 dead, 382 missing in Indonesia quake
0 
Strong quake on Monday has triggered tsunami in remote district of West Sumatra and killed at least 41 people and left 382 others missing.
Private television station MetroTV reported that the search and rescue team is focusing on searching the missing people. who had interviewed Hendri Dori Satoko, speaker of regional parliament of Kepulauan Mentawai regency,
"Based on reports I received, at least 41 people are killed while 380 others are missing," Hendri Dori Satoko, speaker of regional parliament of Kepulauan Mentawai regency, was quoted as saying.
High tides have hindered the rescue work, preventing the rescuers from reaching the stricken area.
Detikcom online news reported that the government has no equipment to monitor waves in Mentawai.
Meanwhile, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has commanded Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Agung Laksono to take steps to address the tsunami impacts.
"I have declared an emergency response, which will be effective in the next 14 days," said Laksono.
The Meteorology and Geophysics Agency admitted that small tsunamis occurred five minutes after the 7.2 magnitude quake struck at 9:42 p.m. local time Monday (1442 GMT), although it lifted the warning about half a hour later.
The epicenter of the quake was located at 78 km southwest Pagai Selatan Mentawai and at a depth of 10 km under sea bed. However, the USGS reported on its website that the quake was measured 7.7 on the Richter scale and at 14.2 km under sea bed.
"The tsunami occurred with a height of 0.46 meter," an official of the agency named only Sutiyono told Xinhua by phone.
But, a report said that the height of the waters reached 3 meters high in Silabu village at Pagai Utara Mentawai island, head of crisis center of Health Ministry named only Mujiharjo told Xinhua.
Edward said that the tsunami also destroyed one bridge and five houses. But, head of the crisis center said that 80 percent houses at Betumonga village at Pagai Utara Mentawai island have been leveled. One tourist boat carrying 10 Australian citizens and five crew members has lost contact.
Local media metrotvnews.com, quoting Joskamatir, head of Disaster Mitigation of Mentawai regency's Pagai Selatan area, said that seven people out of 40 villagers of Muntai village were killed while they were fishing.
Go to Forum >>0 Comments