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Indonesia's Lombok hit by another powerful quake

At least 91 die as holiday island hit by second major tremor in a week
Indonesia's Lombok hit by another powerful quake

An elderly man rests in a hospital bed at a makeshift ward set up outside the Moh. Ruslan Hospital in Mataram on the Indonesian island of Lombok on Aug. 6, the morning after a 6.9 magnitude stuck the island. The holiday island suffered another deadly quake just a week before. (Photo by Adek Berry/AFP)

Published: August 06, 2018 06:47 AM GMT
Updated: August 07, 2018 03:40 AM GMT

At least 91 people have been confirmed dead after a 7-magnitude earthquake struck Indonesia's Lombok Island on Aug. 5 a week after another powerful quake killed more than a dozen people.

More than 200 people were injured in the latest quake, which also jolted the neighboring tourist island of Bali, damaged thousands of buildings and forced thousands of people to flee their homes, according to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency.

According to agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, the victims urgently need medical supplies, clean water, food, blankets, mattress and tents.

Among the damaged buildings was St. Mary Immaculate Parish church in the West Nusa Tenggara provincial capital of Mataram.

"The quake was stronger than before. The church ceiling fell down, but the church's walls remain intact," parish priest Father Laurensius Maryono told ucanews.com on Aug. 6.

"There were no casualties as there was no religious activities going on in the church when the quake occurred," he said.   

"Some parishioners are currently trying to clean up the church and get rid of the debris," he said.

Morning Masses will resume on Aug.7 in the parish's hall and repair work would begin soon, he said. 

The parish emergency response team was coordinating with one from Denpasar Diocese to distribute aid to victims, Father Maryono added. 

"They will go to the worst-hit areas of North Lombok and East Lombok districts to collect data. We will continue collect aid for victims, something we had started doing for victims of last week's quake," he said.

The disaster mitigation agency reported that last week's quake killed at least 16 people, left 355 people injured and forced more than 5,100 people to flee their homes. 

Meanwhile, Holy Spirit Cathedral Parish in Denpasar, Bali province, reported only slight damage in the Aug. 5 quake.

"The damage is only minor and has not affected religious activities. We held daily Mass this morning," said Sofyan, a member of the parish' pastoral council, who like many Indonesians only goes by one name, told ucanews.com.

He said the parish would make a more detailed damage assessment once things have settled down.

More than 130 aftershocks were recorded following the latest quake.

Kristoforus Manse from St. Mary Immaculate Parish in Mataram said he spent the night in an open field along with hundreds of others following the quake. 

"We were so afraid of the aftershocks and a possible tsunami," he told ucanews.com.

He said he lives in a house located about 500 meters from a beach.

"After the quake, everyone didn't know where to go as there was a tsunami warning," he said.

The warning was lifted about two hours later.

Watch this video to see inside St. Mary Immaculate Church in Mataram which was damaged by the earthquake.

 

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