Magnitude 7.5 Killer Quake Hits Indonesia

From: USGS: Magnitude 7.5 - KEPULAUAN ALOR, INDONESIA 2004 November 11 21:26:40 UTC
A major earthquake occurred at 21:26:40 (UTC) on Thursday, November 11, 2004. The magnitude 7.5 event has been located in KEPULAUAN ALOR, INDONESIA.

At least 16 people killed, 100 injured and many buildings damaged on Alor. Felt as far away as Dili, Timor.

Around 170,000 people live on this island...

From: BBC: Earthquake hits Indonesian island

Hundreds of homes, shops and offices are reported to have been damaged in the island's main town of Kalabahi.

Deputy police chief Hasan Kiko told the AFP news agency that damage was widespread.

"So far, we have received reports of 16 people killed in the earthquake from five police precincts. People here are still wary because we can still feel more aftershocks," he said.

[edit on 2004/11/12 by Hellmutt]

From: Swissinfo: Indonesian island quake kills 16

Muhammad Bere, head of the disaster relief centre in the town of Kalabahi on Alor island, said on Friday the death toll could rise because rescuers had not reached many affected areas.

"Our latest data shows 16 dead with most of them killed after their houses collapsed on them. This data may likely go up from hour to hour, day to day, because it is very difficult to reach several areas," Bere told Reuters.

He said the quake damaged more than 600 houses, six schools, several churches and mosques. The island's airport was also damaged and was out of action.

"Two-wheel vehicles cannot reach parts of the island, let alone four-wheel ones so we're trying to use speedboats to reach those affected areas," Bere said, adding the quake caused a tsunami at the more isolated eastern part of Alor. He didn't have any more details.

Latest reports from the quake:

From: Bloomberg.com: Indonesian Earthquake Death Toll Rises to 19

The death toll from an earthquake in eastern Indonesia rose to 19 as rescue teams scoured collapsed homes and buildings on the island of Alor, Antara state news agency said, citing a government official.

The toll may rise further as damaged roads are hindering evacuation efforts, the report cited Frans Lebu Raya, the deputy governor of East Nusa Tenggara province, which oversees the island. Ninety-three houses were destroyed and another 791 were heavily damaged, the report said, adding the northeast part of the island was worst hit, the report said.

A second quake with a 6.4 magnitude hit the same area about an hour- and-a-half later

1. Today is the 14th there. Why did it take three days for "news" to get here? I checked USGS last night and the last quake listed there was Santa Cruz Islands in the Atlantic, a six pointer.

earthquake.usgs.gov...
Oh, it's still shaking. That's why the NEIC map doesn't feature it prominently. The 11th quake has been superceded by lots of others. Lots and lots.

2. aslwww.cr.usgs.gov...
So that's the reason why this whole graph went black. Okay. Now we know.

3. You realize of course, deaths from these quakes are totally under-reported. If anybody has an Indonesian source, please go get the real skuttlebutt, willya?

USGS: Magnitude 7.5 - KEPULAUAN ALOR, INDONESIA
2004 November 11 21:26:41 UTC

"At least 25 people killed, 234 injured, 781 buildings destroyed and 7616 damaged on Alor. Roads blocked in some areas due to landslides. Felt (VIII) at Kalabahi. Felt as far away as Dili, Timor."