668 homes damaged by West Java earthquakes

As many as 668 homes were damaged by a 6.9-magnitude earthquake that hit West Java on Friday, according to the West Java disaster mitigation office (BPBD).

The earthquake affected 76 sub-districts in eight districts in West Java Province, Dicky Saromi, head of the West Java BPBD, said here, Sunday.

One person was killed, six injured, and some 200 others displaced due to the natural disaster.

Of the 668 homes, 60 were seriously damaged, 291 were moderately damaged and 217 were lightly damaged.

The strong earthquake also damaged 10 elementary school buildings, one junior high school building, four senior high school buildings, six mosques, two office buildings, one play ground, 10 Islamic school buildings and one hospital.

The West Java BPBD has set up emergency tents and distributed relief aid to the quake`s victims.

The authorities will also rehabilitate damaged homes.

The 6.9-magnitude earthquake that struck the southern Java region on Friday night, was triggered by the collision of the Indo-Australian and Eurasian plates.

The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) said the earthquake that occurred at 11:47 p.m. on Friday night was caused by subduction zone activity resulting from the collision of the Indo-Australian Plate with the Eurasian Plate in the South Java area.

"Based on its position and depth, the earthquake occurred due to the activity of the subduction zone formed by the collision or subduction of the Indo-Australian Plate against the Eurasian Plate in the southern Java area," said Head of BMKG Earthquake and Tsunami Center Mochammad Riyadi in a statement received in Jakarta on Saturday.

The epicenter was located at 8.03 degrees southern latitude and 108.04 degrees eastern longitude at a depth of 105 kilometers. In its revised data, the BMKG noted that the quake`s magnitude was recorded at 6.9 on the Richter scale at 7.75 degrees southern latitude and 108.11 degrees eastern longitude at a depth of 107 kilometers.

The earthquake was centered at 42 kilometers southwest of Kawalu, West Java

Source: ANTARA