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Powerful quake in Indonesia kills 15, toll may soar
The health ministry said it was sending medical teams to Tasikmalaya near the epicenter of the quake in West Java. "Many houses are flattened to the ground," said Edi Sapuan in Margamukti village, not farm from Tasikmalaya. "Only the wooden houses remain standing. Many villagers are injured, covered in blood," "We ran as soon as the quake hit. Then five minutes later my house collapsed," Edi told Reuters.
A powerful earthquake rattled Indonesia's main island on Wednesday, killing at least 15 people and forcing thousands to evacuate, the disaster management agency said.
The 7.0 magnitude quake, as recorded by the US Geological Survey, shook buildings in the capital and flattened homes in villages closer to the epicenter.
The health ministry said it was sending medical teams to Tasikmalaya near the epicenter of the quake in West Java.
"Many houses are flattened to the ground," said Edi Sapuan in Margamukti village, not farm from Tasikmalaya. "Only the wooden houses remain standing. Many villagers are injured, covered in blood,"
"We ran as soon as the quake hit. Then five minutes later my house collapsed," Edi told Reuters. The quake was felt as far away as Surabaya, Indonesia's second-largest city, about 500 kilometers (300 miles) northeast of Tasikmalaya, and on the resort island of Bali, about 700 kilometers to the east.
At least 27 people were injured in Jakarta, a Health Ministry official said.
Indonesia's main power, oil and gas, steel, and mining companies with operations in West and Central Java island closest to the quake's epicenter said they had not been affected and suffered no damage.
Tsunami warnings withdrawn
Local tsunami warnings were issued for coastal areas within several hundred kilometers of the epicenter soon after it struck, but were withdrawn about half an hour later.
Indonesia's seismology agency put the magnitude at 7.3 with the epicenter 142 kilometers (88 miles) southwest of Tasikmalaya in West Java. The Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said there was no threat of a widespread tsunami.
Residents in Jakarta reported buildings shaking, and thousands of people streamed onto the streets from office blocks.
"The chandelier started moving and it started shaking really strong," said Jakarta resident Victor Chan, who lives in a 34th floor apartment. "It lasted quite long. I was really scared and rushed downstairs."
"Everything was shaking and my neighbour shouted ‘quake, quake'," said Nur Syara, from the 31st floor of the same building. "You could hear the walls creaking. I lay down on the floor. I was scared things would collapse."
A witness in Tasikmalaya said several houses collapsed, including the mayor's office, and a mosque was damaged. Other buildings were damaged in Bandung, a major city that is home to several universities.
"We were all studying and the building we were in started shaking for a few minutes and the ceiling fell," said a man identifying himself as Evan.
Indonesian electricity firm PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) initially said the quake did not disrupt services.
But an official later said that its Salak geothermal power plant in West Java, which has three 55-megawatts units operated by PLN, stopped briefly when the quake hit.
State oil and gas firm Pertamina said its 125,000 barrels per day (bpd) Balongan refinery in West Java and 348,000 bpd Cilacap refinery in Central Java were unaffected.
State-owned mining firm PT Aneka Tambang (Antam) said its gold mining operations in West Java had not been hit, and Krakatau Steel, which has its main steel plant in West Java, also said it had not been affected.
Photos:
 Villagers look at the ruins of a house after a powerful earthquake shook Tasikmalaya, West Java September 2, 2009. A powerful earthquake killed at least 15 people and forced thousands to evacuate on Indonesia's main island, the country's disaster management agency said, adding the toll could climb much higher.  Hospital patients rest in a military headquater after being evacuated following a powerful earthquake shook in Tasikmalaya, West Java September 2, 2009.  A woman makes a phone call near a damaged house after a powerful earthquake shook Tasikmalaya, West Java September 2, 2009.  Residents gather outside a mosque damaged by a powerful earthquake at Cisaat village, West Java September 2, 2009.  A resident inspects the ruins of a house destroyed by earthquake in Tasikmalaya, West Java, Indonesia, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2009.  A man salvages roof tiles from the ruin of his house destroyed by an earthquake in Sindangbarang, West Java, Indonesia, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2009.  Residents displaced after an earthquake look after an elderly woman at a temporary shelter in Tasikmalaya, West Java, Indonesia, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2009.  Residents sit near a house damaged by an earthquake in Tasikmalaya, West Java, Indonesia, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2009.  Man scavenges roof tiles from the ruin of his house destroyed by an earthquake in Sindangbarang, West Java, Indonesia, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2009.  In this photo released by China's Xinhua news agency, residents inspect a landslide caused by an Earthquake in West Java, Indonesia, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2009.  Rescue workers search for victims of an earthquake in Cikangkareng, South Cianjur, West Java province September 3, 2009.  Rescue workers find the leg of a boy in the rubble following an earthquake in Cikangkareng, South Cianjur, West Java province September 3, 2009.  Two men ride past a damaged road after an earthquake in Pangalengan, West Java September 3, 2009.  A man prays beside his injured wife in a makeshift tent set up by local medical teams after an earthquake in Pangalengan, about 30 km from the city of Bandung, West Java September 3, 2009.  Rescue workers find the body of a boy in the rubble following an earthquake in Cikangkareng, South Cianjur, West Java province September 3, 2009.  Rescuers for victims after an earthquake-triggered landslide burried a village in cianjur, West Java, Indonesia, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2009.  Villagers walk past a damaged house after an earthquake in Pangalengan, West Java September 3, 2009. |
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