An earthquake of 6.2 magnitudes in Indonesia's Sulawesi island early Friday has at least killed 34, more than 200 injured, and caused heavy infrastructure wreckage, according to authorities as cited by international news agencies.
Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency (BMKG) reported that the epicenter of the quake, which struck at 2:28 am local time, was six kilometers (3.73 miles) near Mamuju, West Sulawesi. According to preliminary data, the quake was located at a shallow depth of 10 km.
Initial information in the national news agency, Antara, showed that three people had died and two dozen injured in the Mamuju, the capital of West Sulawesi province. It also destroyed several buildings, including the governor's office, a military office, 62 houses, and a public health center. Indonesia's National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) said that many citizens fled to safer areas after many buildings were damaged.
The quake also triggered three landslides and disrupted the transportation of people and goods, according to Antara. The 6.2-magnitude earthquake was followed by several aftershocks of magnitudes 3.2,4.2, 2.6, 2.7 all at depth of 10 km in the country, according to BMKG.
One of the deadliest earthquakes in Indonesia occurred in September 2018 with a magnitude of 7.4 stirred up a tsunami that killed 2,102, injured 4,612, and rendered 680 others missing. Indonesia is regularly hit by earthquakes and prone to frequent volcanic and seismic activities as the country rest on the Circum-Pacific Belt, also known as the Ring of Fire.