JAKARTA — At least 40 persons have been killed and 190 others wounded in the 6.4-magnitude quake in Aceh province in western Indonesia Wednesday as the quake caused massive damages, a disaster agency official has said.
Tens of houses, buildings and infrastructure facilities were destroyed by the powerful-and-shallow underearth quake, Heni Nurmaini, a press officer for the emergency unit of the provincial disaster agency, told Xinhua by phone.
Most of the victims and damages were in Pidie Jaya district, one of the hardest hit areas, the official said.
Search and rescue operation for the victims of the quake is underway now, she said.
Dozens of people remained trapped under the debris of buildings of shops in Pidie Jaya, head of the emergency unit of the district disaster agency, Apriadi, told Xinhua by phone.
Scores of heavy machinery equipment have been deployed to help with the evacuation, he added.
Injured persons have been sent to hospitals in the districts, Apriadi said. PNA/Xinhua-northboundasia.com