Strong earthquake rocks Indonesian island

A 6.2-magnitude earthquake killed at least 81 people and injured more than 800 others on Sulawesi island early on Friday. Responders are still trying to reach dozens of people trapped under the rubble. A 5.9-magnitude undersea earthquake damaged several homes but didn’t cause any casualties when it hit the same region earlier on Thursday.

What is the extent of the damage? The earthquake triggered three landslides and destroyed more than 1,150 buildings, including a provincial governor’s office. Dwikorita Karnawati, head of Indonesia’s Meteorology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), said the region could experience strong aftershocks. Some 27,850 displaced people have sought refuge in shelters. Indonesia sits on the Pacific Ocean’s outer volcanic Ring of Fire and experiences frequent seismic activity.

Dig deeper: Read my World Tour report on how earthquakes and flooding contributed to the decision to relocate the Indonesian capital.

Editor’s note: WORLD has updated this report since its initial posting.