The death toll from the Cianjur earthquake increased to 310 after 17 bodies were found on the fifth day of search operations on Friday, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) informed.
BNPB had put the number of fatalities from the earthquake at 272 on Thursday. On Friday, the agency found nine bodies in a search area at the Sinta Satay stall and eight bodies in the Cijedil village area, Cugenang.
“There are 24 missing people but we already have their identities. If they are found, we can reduce the number of missing people,” head of BNPB, Lieutenant General Suharyanto, said at the Cianjur District Hall, West Java, on Friday.
Earlier on Thursday, seven passers-by were reported missing from the Sinta Satay Stall landslide area, he informed. However, nine bodies were found on Friday.
Seven bodies found at the satay stall have been identified, while the identities of two bodies are yet to be confirmed.
“People around the Cugenang area or the whole Cianjur district are advised to report if they have missing family members,” he said.
In addition, Suharyanto informed that the number of schools damaged in the quake increased to 363. At least 144 houses of worship, 3 health facilities, and 16 offices also suffered damage in the disaster, he added.
“The team is still working in the field, consisting of teams from the Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Ministry, government, universities, BNPB, and Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD). The number of damaged buildings is still fluctuating,” he added.
According to the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), the 5.6-magnitude earthquake struck Cianjur district, West Java, at 1:21 p.m. local time on November 21, 2022. It was centered 10 kilometers southwest of the district at a depth of 10 km. It did not have the potential to trigger a tsunami.
Source: Antara News