Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Thousands of people from government offices, regional governments, volunteer organizations, businesses, non-governmental organizations and the community have been involved in emergency response efforts in Aceh.

"Some 3,962 personnel have helped in handling earthquake victims in Pidie Jaya, Pidie and Bireuen," Head of Information and Data Center and Public Relations of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, said in a press statement received here on Saturday.

Sutopo noted that as of Saturday afternoon, 101 earthquake victims had died due to the 6.5 magnitude quake which occurred early Wednesday morning.

He said 96 of the victims were found in Pidie Jaya District, 3 in Pidie and 2 in Bireuen, while 92 bodies have been identified and the process of identification on nine others is underway.

Sutopo added that 139 people suffered serious injuries, while 718 others were listed as having only minor injuries, adding that most of the deaths were caused by collapsed buildings after the quake struck.

He said based on BNPB data, there are 45,329 evacuees, with 43,613 of them now in Pidie Jaya, and 1,716 in Bireuen.

He added that 108 shop houses had collapsed, 31 were heavily damaged, three moderately and 15 lightly damaged, while 2,992 homes had been heavily damaged, 94 moderately and 8,582 lightly damaged.

He also said 64 mosques and other buildings had been damaged, while 14,800 meters of roads had cracked and 55 bridges sustained damage.

"Although some streets and bridges have been damaged, no area has been isolated. They are all still accessible. Activities of the people have now started to return to normal," he said.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2016