November 9, 2009
JAKARTA (AFP) - Two people were killed and dozens injured after a strong quake with a magnitude of 6.7 rocked the Indonesian island of Sumbawa on Monday, officials and the state news agency Antara said.
The two fatalities occurred when buildings collapsed, the agency said.
Indonesia's health ministry crisis centre head Rustam Pakaya told press via text message: "Thirty-eight people were injured and sent to... hospitals," adding the situation was under control.
The quake struck in the early hours with its epicentre about 16 kilometres (10 miles) from the town of Raba at a depth of 18
kilometres, the US Geological Survey said.
Pakaya earlier said residents in Bima city had felt "strong shaking" and there were reports that "walls of houses have collapsed."
A team of health workers had been sent to the site, he said.
There was no major tsunami threat from the quake, which occurred along the island's coast, said the US Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.
Indonesia sits on a Pacific "Ring of Fire," where the meeting of continental plates causes high volcanic and seismic activity.
