A powerful earthquake shook a large portion of southern Indonesia today killing at least 15 people, injuring dozens and levelling a large number of houses and buildings.
The 7.0 magnitude quake that struck at 2:55 p m local time off the southern coast of the island of Java, also triggered landslides leaving several houses buried.
The quake also sent people out in panic in the capital Jakarta, 200 kms away from the south. A tsunami alert was issued but later withdrawn as there were no large waves.
A massive tsunami triggered by an earthquake in 2001 had caused heavy loss of life and property in this country and elsewhere in Asia including Sri Lanka and India.
Building collapses and rock slides left a trail of destruction and caused most of the deaths due to the quake that had a depth of 50 kms, officials said. There were also reports of injuries in Jakarta.
Some people were also killed in a rockslide near the southern coast of Java island.
However, the final number of injured was not yet known in the southern areas as scores of people were being admitted to hospitals.
"I ran out in panic, the whole house was spinning and my windows and shelves were rattling madly," Rinku Khanna, an Indian national living in Jakarta said. She said according to her Indonesian friends it was the strongest ever quake felt in the capital.
