Death toll from Indonesia's strong quakes climbs over 500

8/22/2018 - 8:27:28 AM

The number of death toll from the multiple powerful quakes in Indonesia's Lombok island has reached 506, the national disaster management agency said on August 20.

Rescue team members prepare to find people trapped inside a mosque after an earthquake hit on Sunday in Pemenang, Lombok Island, Indonesia, on August 8, 2018. (Photo: Reuters)

A 6.4 magnitude quake rattled the island on July 29 followed by a 7.0 magnitude quake on August 5 and two strong quakes of 6.5 magnitude and 6.9 magnitude on August 19.

A total of 431,436 people have been forced to flee home and take shelter in makeshift tents as the quakes have devastated 74,361 houses and scores of infrastructure facilities, spokesman of the national disaster management agency Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said.

Indonesia has been frequently stricken by quakes as it is situated on a vulnerable quake-affected zone called "the Pacific Ring of Fire".

Source: NDO

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