Powerful Indonesia earthquake kills 51, forces 5,000 to evacuate — Pajhwok

KABUL (Pajhwok): At least 51 people have been killed and around 5,000 others forced to evacuate after a powerful earthquake struck eastern Indonesia, with rescue teams working to clear landslide-blocked roads and reach people trapped under rubble. The magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck at 5:58am local time on Saturday, with its epicentre about 68 kilometres north-northwest of Ende on Flores Island in East Nusa Tenggara province, according to the US Geological Survey. The quake occurred at a depth of 10 kilometres, Al Jazeera reported. The earthquake was followed by around 341 aftershocks and is among Indonesia’s deadliest earthquakes in recent years. Deputy Health Minister Benjamin Paulus Octavianus said on Sunday that 36 people had sustained serious injuries, while another 77 suffered minor injuries. More than 3,300 people in Sikka regency, one of the worst-affected areas, have either fled their homes or been stranded and are taking shelter at a sports arena, according to Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency, BNPB. “The quake was massive, the shock was so strong,” Nona, a 51-year-old resident of Talibura village, told Reuters. She said 13 members of her family were inside their house when the earthquake struck and all of them ran outside to save themselves. BNPB head Lieutenant General Suharyanto said at least 157 houses had been destroyed and nearly 200 others damaged. About 2,000 residents…