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6 killed, dozens of buildings collapse after strong quake hits Indonesia

2009-09-02 19:29 BJT

JAKARTA, Sept. 2 (Xinhua) -- Six people were killed, 12 houses, one mosque collapsed and one university building was seriously damaged after a 7.3 magnitude quake hit Indonesia Wednesday, spokesperson of Disaster Management Agency Priyadi Kardono said.

The spokesperson said that the houses were smashed by the huge amount of soil in South Cianjur of Cianjur regency of West Java province.

"The quake also killed six people in the area," Kardono told Xinhua.

In Tasikmalaya, one of the closest areas in the epicenter, the quake damaged two buildings, he said.

"A report that we got just now that a main building of Siliwangi University in Tasikmalaya town was seriously damaged and one mosque was collapsed," he said.

In Puncak of West Java, one of the strongest hit areas, there was no report of serious damages, according to the local military command.

A 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck western parts of Indonesia on Wednesday, causing panic in some cities.

The quake struck at 14:55 p.m. Jakarta time (0755 GMT) with epicenter at 142 km southwest Tasik Malaya of West Java and at 30 km in depth, the agency said.

The agency earlier issued tsunami warning but later it has lifted.

The intensity of the quake was felt at 5 to 6 MMI (Modified Mercally Intensity) at Puncak, 6 MMI in Sukabumi town and 3 to 4 MMI in Bandung city of West Java, 4 MMI in Jakarta and 2 MMI in Bali island, the agency said.

In Jakarta, residents rushed out from high buildings as the shakes of the quake occurred for about two or three minutes.

"I am very scared and afraid that the building will fall," said a worker at a building.

Editor: Zhang Pengfei | Source: Xinhua