Now Reading: Indonesia quake toll reports differ as fresh tremor hits Sumatra
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Indonesia quake toll reports differ as fresh tremor hits Sumatra
Indonesia quake toll reports differ as fresh tremor hits Sumatra
A 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck northern Sumatra on Saturday, hours after a 7.7-magnitude undersea quake hit near Flores in eastern Indonesia. The Times of India, citing the German Research Centre for Geosciences, reported…
The Story in Brief
A 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck northern Sumatra on Saturday, hours after a 7.7-magnitude undersea quake hit near Flores in eastern Indonesia. The Times of India, citing the German Research Centre for Geosciences, reported at least 38 deaths in the earlier disaster. Assam Tribune, citing Indonesian authorities, put the toll at 20, with six injured and two missing.
The Flores quake triggered landslides, collapsed buildings, power cuts and communication failures. A tsunami warning covering parts of eastern Indonesia was later lifted after no major sea-level changes were recorded. About 2,000 people fled to temporary shelters, while rescuers searched for villagers believed buried under mud. The latest Sumatra quake occurred at a depth of 158 km, GFZ said.
The Indian Opinion
The sharp difference between the reported death tolls shows why early disaster figures must be treated carefully. Social media footage can convey the scale of destruction, but it cannot establish casualties. Claims that the tsunami warning itself caused devastation are also misplaced, since the warning was lifted without major sea-level changes. The immediate test is whether Indonesian authorities reconcile the toll after rescue teams reach blocked areas.
Sources (2): timesofindia.indiatimes.com, assamtribune.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
