Yogyakarta, Jubi – At least 700 residents fled to four different locations after a 5.4 magnitude earthquake shook Jayapura City on Thursday, February 9, 2023. This was stated by the Acting Head of the Center for Disaster Data, Information and Communication of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), Abdul Muhari through a written statement on Thursday.
Abdul stated that the BNPB Control and Operations Center (Pusdalops) recorded that 50 families fled to the CV Thomas Complex, Entrop. In addition, there were 50 families who fled to the BTN Bank Office in Jayapura City.
Some 200 residents fled to Christ the King Catholic Church in Dok 5. There were also 400 residents who fled to Bhayangkara I. The residents evacuated because a number of aftershocks occurred in Jayapura City on Thursday afternoon and evening.
An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.4 occurred in Jayapura City on Thursday at 3:28 p.m Papua time. The shallow earthquake with an epicenter of 10 kilometers deep and located at coordinates 2.60 South Latitude and 140.66 East Longitude caused four people to die and injured five people.
As of Thursday night, the BNPB’s Pusdalops recorded the damage of at least five houses (three of which heavily damaged and two moderately damaged). In addition, a cafe collapsed and fell into the sea, while the building of Jayapura’s Dok 2 Hospital, two churches, a mosque, and a hotel were damaged.
The earthquake also caused the top part of the Cendrawasih University Postgraduate Building to collapse. The Jayapura Mall building in the city center also suffered cracks on the left side of the building, and the roof of the right side of the 4th floor of the building collapsed.
“As an effort to handle the disaster emergency, the Jayapura City Disaster Management Agency together with the Papua Province BPBD and related agencies have set up emergency tents, provided evacuation sites, public kitchens and basic support for the evacuees. The urgent needs are emergency tents and generators for electricity,” Abdul Muhari said, as quoted from his press statement. (*)
