Thousands of tourists frantically wait for rescue after Indonesia earthquake
Indonesian authorities are rushing to evacuate thousands of tourists after a deadly earthquake struck the country's popular resort islands on the night of August 5.
At least 98 people, all Indonesians, were killed when a 6.9 magnitude earthquake rocked the Indonesian tourist island of Lombok, according to CNN. More than 200 others were injured in the incident.
Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, head of Indonesia's disaster management agency, said most of the victims were crushed by debris from collapsed buildings.
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| The injured are being treated at Tanjung Hospital on Lombok Island. Photo: CNN |
This official estimated that a total of 20,000 people were left homeless by the devastating earthquake last weekend.
A video shared by Indonesian officials on Twitter shows hundreds of people, mostly foreign tourists, flocking to a beach on Gili Trawangan island to wait to be rescued by local authorities.
Rescuers rushed to evacuate thousands of tourists from three small islands in the Gili archipelago as night fell. The islands, known for their clear blue waters and white sand beaches, are located close to the epicenter of the quake on Lombok.
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| Hundreds of tourists are gathered on the beach waiting to be evacuated from Gili Trawangan island. Photo: EPA |
Previous rescue efforts have been hampered by shallow waters along the coast. However, rising sea levels mean nine rescue vessels can now anchor close to the shores of the islands.
According to Mr. Nugroho, up to now, up to 2,700 tourists have been evacuated from the Gili Islands. Lombok airport has reopened and is significantly increasing flights around the clock.