Indonesia: Death toll from earthquake rises to 81

Indonesia’s emergency service has reported on the rising death toll from the powerful earthquake to 81. As of Monday morning, more than 19,000 people displaced due to the natural disaster, WAM News Agency said.

Indonesian disaster mitigation agency said that search and rescue efforts continued on Monday after the powerful earthquake has struck Sulawesi island last week. It resulted in killing at least 81 people and displaced thousands of the islanders.

In the early hours of Friday morning, the 6.2-magnitude quake struck West Sulawesi, sending thousands fleeing from their beds. The powerful tremor was a part of a string of disasters to hit the Southeast Asian archipelago in recent weeks, the officials said.

On Monday, disaster mitigation spokesman released a statement that says that 81 people were confirmed to have died due to the disaster, while more than 250 got serious injuries.

The western part of Sulawesi island suffered much from the 6.2-magnitude strike. There is significant damage to hundreds of homes, a mall, a hospital and several hotels.

With thousands displaced, authorities were also working to stem the spread of the coronavirus among evacuees, including by conducting rapid antigen tests.