Indonesia quake death toll rises to 30: govt

The death toll from a powerful earthquake that rocked Indonesia's remote Maluku islands rose to 30 on Sunday, including several toddlers, the disaster agency said.

On Thursday, terrified residents ran into the streets as buildings fell in around them when the 6.5-magnitude tremor struck, sparking landslides that buried at least one of the victims.

Among the confirmed dead were three young children, with many people killed by falling debris in and around quake-struck Ambon city.

The region's governor has declared a state of emergency until October 9, the agency said.

"As of Sunday morning, 30 people died and 156 were injured," said national disaster mitigation agency spokesman Agus Wibowo.

On Friday, the agency had revised down the official death toll of 23 to 19 after officials realised some of the deceased has been double-counted.

At least 25,000 people had to flee because their houses were damaged by the strong jolt, Wibowo said previously.

Hundreds of houses, offices, schools and public facilities were also been damaged in the disaster. Authorities have set up emergency tents and public kitchens for the evacuees in several districts.

The US Geological Survey said the quake struck about 37 kilometres (23 miles) northeast of Ambon in Maluku province at a depth of 29 kilometres.

The Southeast Asian archipelago is one of the most disaster-prone nations on Earth.

It experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity due to its position on the Pacific "Ring of Fire", where tectonic plates collide.

Last year, a 7.5-magnitude quake and a subsequent tsunami in Palu on Sulawesi island left more than 4,300 people dead or missing.

In 2004, a devastating 9.1-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Sumatra and triggered a tsunami that killed 220,000 throughout the region, including around 170,000 in Indonesia.

Strong 6.8 magnitude earthquake off Chile coast: USGS
Santiago (AFP) Sept 29, 2019 - A 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck in the Pacific off the coast of Chile on Sunday, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said.

"There is a low likelihood of casualties and damage," the USGS said of the earthquake, which it earlier reported as a magnitude 7.2, and which occurred 41 miles (66 kilometers) west-southwest of Constitucion, Chile.

Chile's National Seismological Center (CSN) put the quake at 6.6 magnitude.

Despite the tremor's strength, there were no reports of injuries, impacts to basic services or damage to infrastructure, according to Chile's National Emergency Office (ONEMI).

There were also no tsunami warnings, advisories, watches or threats in the wake of the earthquake, according to the US Tsunami Warning System.

Chile is one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries.

The 1960 Valdivia earthquake in Chile was, at 9.5, the strongest ever recorded on the magnitude scale, according to the USGS.

Chile lies on the Ring of Fire -- an arc of fault lines that circles the Pacific Basin and is prone to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

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Indonesia quake death toll rises to 23: official
Jakarta (AFP) Sept 27, 2019
The death toll from a powerful earthquake that rocked Indonesia's remote Maluku islands has risen to 23, the disaster agency said Friday, as more than 15,000 people were evacuated to shelters. Terrified residents ran into the streets as buildings fell in around them with the 6.5-magnitude tremor sparking landslides that buried at least one victim on Thursday. Among the confirmed dead was an infant, with many killed by falling debris in and around quake-struck Ambon city. "The total number of ... read more