INDONESIA: Indonesian village of Bengkulu deserted after mini-tsunamis

The toll from an earthquake on Indonesia's Sumatra Island has risen to 17 dead and 88 injured, a health ministry official said on Saturday (September 15). The 8.4 magnitude quake, which struck off the coast of western Sumatra on Wednesday (September 12), has been followed by at least 40 big aftershocks and numerous tsunami warnings, which were subsequently withdrawn. At least two areas in Bengkulu province were hit by mini-tsunamis after Wednesday's quake. About 100 houses were damaged in Serangai, 70 km north of Bengkulu city, but there were no casualties. "Twenty minutes after we evacuated the villagers a tsunami struck. The water was as high as four metres" said Dahlan, a village official. He said most of the villagers were still afraid to return to their village. Some houses had been shifted about 10 metres by the water and tree trunks and large logs littered the main road. The Indonesian Health Ministry said a total of 17 people had died in Bengkulu and West Sumatra provinces, the two regions closest to the quake's epicentre, and 88 people had been injured. The quake destroyed nearly 800 homes and damaged buildings and infrastructure in the area. Many people are still sleeping out in the open, either because their homes have been destroyed or because they are too scared to return home in case of further quakes. The health ministry said it has sent food, medicine and tents to the area. Indonesia suffers frequent quakes, as it lies on an active seismic belt on the so-called Pacific "Ring of Fire".

ITN Source | September 15, 2007

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