Death toll in Indonesia earthquake rises to 57

CCTV.com message (News Broadcast aired on September 3): A magnitude 7.3 earthquake occurred in the Indian Ocean near West Java, Indonesia. According to Associated Press reports, the death toll has risen to 57 with over 400 injured. Local officials stated that due to communication disruptions in some remote areas, the number of casualties could continue to rise. According to a preliminary understanding by the Chinese Embassy in Indonesia, no Chinese citizens have been injured or killed in the earthquake so far.

According to Associated Press reports, the earthquake caused damage to over 18,000 residential houses and office buildings in West Java, forcing at least 5,300 people to be relocated to temporary shelters. In the Cianjur area of West Java, a village experienced a landslide triggered by the earthquake. So far, 13 bodies have been found, with approximately 50 others still buried. Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono personally visited the landslide site today for inspection and directed the rescue operations.