Five Found Dead After Strong Quake in Aceh

Jakarta (Antara) - Five people were found dead in Bener Meriah following a strong quake in Aceh on Tuesday. "According to initial reports, five people were found dead, two were missing and 70 others were injured while tens of houses were heavily damaged in Bener Meriah district," National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said here on Tuesday. Bener Meriah and Central Aceh are the two districts in Aceh that have been hardly hit by the 6.2 magnitude quake on Tuesday afternoon. Sutopo said one meanwhile had been found dead, 140 injured and 300 houses had been damaged and a road cut in Central Aceh. He said people in Bener Meriah had sought refuge in five locations namely Kolemparacanis, Kecal, Lampahan, Bandar Lampahan and Surajadi. "Personnel from the BNPB chapter in Bener Meriah, the TNI (military), the police, the administration police and the Indonesian Red Cross are still searching missing persons and conducting evacuation efforts," he said. Sutopo said an emergency command post had been set up and medical service had also been provided by the PMI (red cross) and the health service in Bener Meriah. (*)