Death toll rises from Indonesian earthquake

Indonesia’s disaster agency said the death toll from Sunday’s 7.0 magnitude earthquake has risen to 131 people as responders struggle to reach some of the trapped victims and assist the rescued. Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said the number of dead would likely continue to increase as authorities work to confirm reports of other deaths.

The quake, which struck the Indonesian tourist island of Lombok and rattled Bali, blocked roads, destroyed thousands of buildings, displaced more than 156,000 people, and sent nearly 2,500 people to hospitals with serious injuries. Rescue workers set up temporary shelters for the displaced as others worked to gain access to some of the more isolated regions. The Indonesian military said five planes bearing food, blankets, medicine, water tankers, and field tents departed Jakarta for Lombok early Wednesday.