World Quake death toll at 56 as Indonesia struggles with string of disasters

JAKARTA (Reuters) - At least 56 people have been killed after an earthquake struck Indonesia's West Sulawesi province on Friday, the disaster mitigation agency (BNPB) said on Sunday, the latest in a string of disasters to hit the Southeast Asian country.

© Reuters/ANTARA FOTO Aftermath of earthquake in Mamuju, West Sulawesi

© Reuters/ANTARA FOTO Injured people are treated at temporary shelter outside hospital following earthquake in Mamuju

More than 820 people were injured and about 15,000 left their homes after the 6.2 magnitude quake, the BNPB said. Some sought refuge in the mountains, while others went to cramped evacuation centres, witnesses said.

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The Indonesian disaster agency said the death toll climbed to 42 as rescuers in Mamuju retrieved 34 bodies trapped in the rubble of collapsed homes and buildings. The agency said in a statement that eight people were killed and 637 others were injured in Mamuju's neighbouring district of Majene.

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Dwikorita Karnawati, the head of Indonesia's meteorological, climatology and geophysical agency (BMKG), has said that another quake in the region could potentially trigger a tsunami.

Straddling the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, Indonesia is regularly hit by earthquakes. In 2018, a devastating 6.2-magnitude quake and subsequent tsunami struck the city of Palu, in Sulawesi, killing thousands.

Just two weeks into the new year, the world's fourth-most populous country is again battling several disasters.

Floods in North Sulawesi and South Kalimantan province each have killed at least five this month, while landslides in West Java province have killed at least 28, authorities said.

On Jan. 9, a Sriwijaya Air jet crashed into the Java Sea with 62 onboard.

East Java's Semeru mountain erupted late on Saturday, but there have been no reports of casualties or evacuations.

Dwikorita said extreme weather and other "multi-dangers" of hydrometeorology are forecast in the coming weeks.

(Reporting by Stanley Widianto; Editing by Himani Sarkar)