Another powerful earthquake has rocked Indonesia, adding further destruction to the already-ruined Lombok island. It struck 14 miles from the city of Mataram at midday on Thursday, causing people to flee as buildings crumbled.
The US Geological Survey said the quake, felt on the nearby holiday island of Bali, measured 5.9 on the Richter scale. It struck at a depth of 10km (6 miles). Local authorities reported it to be a 6.2-magnitude quake. No tsunami warning was issued.
In shocking videos obtained by RT, residents of Mataram can be see scarpering after Thursday’s quake reduced a convenience store to dust and rubble. On social media, locals have called on friends around the world to #PrayForLombok as rescue and disaster relief teams begin to pour into the devastated area.
So far, 355 aftershocks have been felt following Sunday’s magnitude 6.9 quake, National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman Sutopo Nugroho said. He told the Jakarta Globe that “residents panicked and ran from their shelters” and “several buildings were further damaged”.
The number of confirmed deaths from Sunday’s horror quake has risen to 259. That number is set to rise as more victims are found in the rubble and pulled from collapsed buildings.
The death toll sat at 131 a day earlier.
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