About 390,000 people remain displaced after the quakes (Source: VNA)Jakarta (VNA) – The death toll from the recent earthquakes rockingIndonesia’s Lombok island has climbed to 555, while nearly 1,500 others were leftinjured and hundreds of thousands homeless, according to the country’s disasteragency.
Most of the deaths occurred in the northern part of Lombok,with several also killed in neighbouring Sumbawa Island. Many were killed byfalling debris as the tremors rippled across the island and caused widespreaddevastation.
About 390,000 people remain displaced after the quakes, theIndonesian National Agency for Disaster Management said.
Aid organisations have vowed to step up humanitarianassistance to the island as devastated residents struggle in makeshiftdisplacement camps.
They warned that access to food, shelter and clean water hasbeen insufficient for some residents displaced by the disasters.
Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho stated that troops arebeing deployed to isolated villages that are difficult to reach.
The island, located next to holiday hotspot Bali, was hit bytwo deadly quakes on July 29 and August 5. On August 19, it was shaken by astring of fresh tremors and aftershocks, with the strongest measuring 6.9magnitude.
Rebuilding costs are estimated to top 7 trillion rupiah (478million USD).
Indonesia is prone to earthquakes because it lies on the"Ring of Fire," the line of frequent quakes and volcanic eruptionsthat circles virtually the entire Pacific Basin. In December 2004, a massivemagnitude 9.1 earthquake off Sumatra triggered a tsunami that killed 220,000people of different nationalities, including 168,000 Indonesians.-VNA
VNA
