Indonesia quake hurts dozens

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Indonesia quake hurts dozens 06 29 01

Indonesia quake hurts dozens, damages 2,500 homes JAKARTA, June 29

(Reuters) -

A strong earthquake has injured dozens of people and damaged some 2,500 homes and buildings in Indonesia's West Java province, officials said on Friday.

The quake, measuring 5.9 on the Richter scale, struck around midday on Thursday but officials at the time said there had been little impact from the tremor apart from mild panic. Officials reached on Friday said there had been no fatalities.

";So far we haven't received reports of any deaths, although dozens of people were injured. (Rescuers) are there at the location,"; Lilies Sutria Iryana, an official at the Majalengka regency information centre, told Reuters.

Officials said 2,418 homes and buildings were damaged in remote parts of the Majalengka regency, the worst hit area. Many were poorly-made village huts.

The state Meteorology and Geophysics Agency said the quake's epicentre was about 200 km (125 miles) southeast of Jakarta, with a depth of 33 km (20.6 miles). Other reports had put the quake's strength at 5.1 on the Richter scale, although the geophysics agency confirmed on Friday it was 5.9.

Earthquakes frequently hit Indonesia, occasionally causing widespread damage and loss of life.

Last year, a powerful earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale rocked Bengkulu province in the western island of Sumatra, killing more than 120 people.

23:36 06-28-01

-- PHO (owennos@bigfoot.com), June 29, 2001


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