Manokwari, W Papua (ANTARA News) - A total of 257 houses were damaged, and 35 people suffered minor injuries in an earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale that jolted Sorong city in West Papua, early Friday morning, an official stated.

"A total of 35 people suffered minor injuries, and four others were seriously injured as a result of the earthquake," Derek Abner, the head of the Provincial Disaster Management Agency, stated here on Friday.

He remarked that there were no casualties, but damaged buildings and material losses as a result of the earthquake reached billions of rupiah.

"The West Papua Disaster Management Agency has deployed a team to help the victims of the earthquake," Abner said, adding that the team had set up emergency command posts at some locations in Sorong and the surrounding areas to provide assistance to the victims of the earthquake disaster.

Local Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) spokesman Deny Putirai stated that the epicenter of the 6.8-magnitude earthquake was located 31 kilometers northeast of Sorong at 0:59 southern latitude and 131.27 eastern longitude.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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