Earthquake measuring 7.0 kills 46 in Indonesia and leaves thousands homeless

A powerful earthquake in Indonesia has killed at least 46 people, left dozens missing, and damaged 1,300 homes.

Thousands of people have had to evacuate Indonesia's main island following the 7.0 magnitude quake, which shook buildings in the capital Jakarta and flattened homes in villages closer to the epicentre in West Java.

An official at the Social Ministry said that so far, 46 people had died, more than 700 houses were badly damaged and about 600 others had suffered moderate damage in the quake.

Villagers look at the ruins of a house after a powerful earthquake shook Indonesia, damaging at least 1,300 homes

The insides of a mosque in Cisaat village, which was badly damaged by the 7.0 quake

However, Priyadi Kardono, an official at the National Disaster Mitigation Agency, warned the death toll could be much higher, as scores of houses and office buildings had collapsed or suffered severe damage, and it was proving difficult to contact some of the affected areas.

'Communications with the coastal areas were completely cut, so we don't know the conditions there,' he said.

'No reports have come from those areas, although we assume those were the most affected ones. It's possible the death toll could grow higher.'

The health ministry said it was sending medical teams to the affected areas in West Java. State news agency Antara reported that villagers were clearing away the rubble from collapsed buildings to try to find survivors and bodies.

'Many houses are flattened to the ground,' said Edi Sapuan in Margamukti village, not far 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.'

The quake was felt as far away as Surabaya, Indonesia's second-largest city, about 300 miles northeast of Tasikmalaya, and on the resort island of Bali, about 350 miles to the east.

At least 27 people were injured in Jakarta, a health ministry official said.

Hundreds of people sheltered in a military base in Tasikmalaya, fearing the initial tremor would be followed by aftershocks, an official at the disaster management agency said.

Damage: Entire homes were destroyed by the quake, which measured 7.0 on the Richter Scale

A young victim of earthquake is brought into a hospital in Bandung, West Java, Indonesia

Indonesia's main power, oil and gas, steel, and mining companies with operations in West and Central Java island closest to the quake's epicentre said they had not been affected and suffered no damage.





Tsunami warning for the 'ring of fire'



Indonesia's 17,000 islands are scattered along a belt of volcanic and seismic activity known as the Pacific 'ring of fire', and the area is one of the most quake-prone places on the planet.

More than 170,000 Indonesians were killed or listed missing after a 9.15 magnitude earthquake off Indonesia's Aceh province on Sumatra triggered the Boxing Day tsunami in February.

A total of 230,000 people died in affected Indian Ocean countries.

Local tsunami warnings were issued for coastal areas within several hundred kilometres of the epicentre soon after it struck, but were withdrawn about half an hour later.

People stand outside a house is damaged by an earthquake in the town of Garut, West Java, Indonesia

Shock: A woman makes a phone call near a damaged house

Indonesia's seismology agency put the magnitude at 7.3 with the epicentre 88 miles southwest of Tasikmalaya.

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 of the capital from office and apartment 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.'



Neighbour Nur Syara said: 'Everything was shaking and my neighbour shouted "quake, quake".

'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.