Indonesia's Death Toll From Earthquake, Floods Grows To 96 - Reports

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 18th January, 2021) Indonesia's cumulative death toll from the earthquake on Sulawesi island and the floods in the South Kalimantan province grew to 96, while around 70,000 people were forced to leave homes, Xinhua news agency reported on Monday, citing the Indonesian National board for Disaster Management (BNPB).

It was previously reported that the magnitude 6.2 earthquake, which was registered late last week, claimed 78 lives.

According to the updated information, 81 people were killed in the earthquake, and 15 people failed victim to the flooding in South Kalimantan, where around 25,000 houses were inundated and a state of emergency was declared.

Around 28,000 residents of the West Sulawesi province were accommodated in evacuation centers, and 40,000 people were displaced in South Kalimantan, BNPB press secretary Raditya Jati said. She also noted that over 1,150 buildings, including five schools, were destroyed in the earthquake.

BNPB chief Doni Morando announced that authorities would use rapid COVID-19 tests amid the risk of coronavirus spreading among the evacuated citizens.