Earthquake kills 4 in Indonesia’s Papua province

A magnitude-5.1 earthquake struck Indonesia’s Papua province on Thursday, killing four people, according to an official.

Residents had already recovered the four victims’ bodies from the sea.

According to Asep Khalid, the head of the local disaster management agency, they were in a waterfront cafe when the quake struck the provincial capital of Jayapura and destroyed the building.

The shallow quake also caused damage to homes and other structures, including the city’s main shopping mall.

Patients at the Jayapura General Hospital were taken outside the building, Khalid said.

The quake struck at 3:28 p.m. (0828 GMT) at a depth of 10 kilometres, according to the national geophysics agency.

The agency said the city had been rocked by more than 1,000 earthquakes since Jan. 2.

“Indonesia sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, an area known for volcanic eruptions and seismic upheavals,” said the agency.

dpa/NAN