West Sulawesi Earthquake Victims Increased To 84 People

Condition of temporary barracks for earthquake victims in Majene Regency (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Head of Basarnas, Marshal Madya Bagus Puruhito, received a report that there was an increase in the number of victims who died due to the earthquake in West Sulawesi to 84 people.

"As of 4 o'clock this afternoon, we received information that there were 84 people died in the earthquake in West Sulawesi, consisting of 73 in Mamuju Regency and 11 people in Majene," said Bagus at the JICT II Integrated Command Post, North Jakarta, Monday, 18 January.

Bagus said, the number of refugees in the two districts affected by the earthquake reached tens of thousands of people. Meanwhile, the Basarnas team mobilized its staff from various regions to the disaster areas, such as Jakarta Makassar, Palu, Balikpapan, and Gorontalo.

"We also brought 17 extraction equipment for the demolition of collapsed buildings. Starting yesterday, we have been assisted by the National Police's Kinain Unit," said Bagus.

Separately, Basarnas Preparedness Director Didi Hamzar explained that the increase in the number of dead victims to 84 people was not based on today's searches.

There is also additional data coming from reports from the public who evacuated independently, but the data was reported too late.

"Until the fourth day, we did not get any additional search results, but the number of victims' findings increased due to the synchronization results and the following reports for findings found on January 15 but not yet reported to the Command Post," said Didi.

The BNPB Pusdalops updated data on material losses in Majene Regency, including 1,150 damaged houses that are still in the data collection process and 15 school units affected.

For information, an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.2 occurred on Friday, January 15, at 02.28 WITA in Mamuju Regency and Majene Regency, West Sulawesi.

Then on Saturday, January 16, at 06.32 WIB, the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) announced that an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.0 had occurred in Majene Regency.