Two children die, hundreds injured in 5-magnitude West Java quake

A man walks next to a collapsed house in Kertasari, West Java, after a 5-magnitude earthquake struck on Sept 18, 2024. At least two people died and hundreds were injured in the quake. - AFP

JAKARTA: A four-year old boy identified as Fauzan and a sixth grade elementary school student named Nasywa Syaqira have died after a 5-magnitude earthquake jolted West Java on Wednesday (Sept 18) morning, authorities have reported, with at least 139 others suffering mild to severe injuries.

"Fauzan passed away on Thursday evening at Majalaya General Hospital” in Bandung regency, said West Bandung Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) head Uka Puji Utama on Friday (Sept 20), adding that both Fauzan and his mother had been hit on the head by falling debris.

"Meanwhile, Nasywa died in her school in Rancaekek, Bandung regency, after suffering a seizure following the quake.

“Authorities have recorded it as an earthquake fatality,” West Java BPDP official Hadi Rahmat said.

According to the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), the earthquake's epicenter was inland, about 24 kilometers southeast of Bandung regency, and it had a magnitude of 5 on the Richter scale. The epicenter’s depth was recorded at about 10 km.

Data from the German GeoForschungsZentrum (GFZ), meanwhile, indicated a 5.3-magnitude quake at a depth of 10km.

The earthquake, which struck at about 9am on Wednesday, impacted Bandung regency, Garut regency and the city of Cimahi.

Some 5,732 houses, 74 schools and 113 houses of worship were damaged.

“The material losses amount to Rp 429.6 billion [US$28.5 million] with 21,709 individuals being affected by the quake. Up until now, 710 people are still staying in temporary shelters,” Hadi said, as quoted by kompas.id.

Bandung Regent Dadang Supriatna declared a state of emergency on Wednesday that would last for the next two weeks to help expedite the delivery of aid, including financial assistance to the victims.

He said owners of heavily damaged properties would receive Rp 60 million in financial aid, owners of moderately damaged properties would get Rp 30 million, and owners of mildly damaged properties would receive Rp 15 million. - The Jakarta Post/ANN