Death toll in Bengkulu quake rises to six

According to reports received by the Bengkulu branch of the Natural Disaster Mitigation Coordination Agency (Bakorna) at 11 am on Thursday, the newly discovered victims were residents of Bengkulu Utara and Muko Muko districts, Hamsyir Lair, the chief of the agency`s local unit, said.

The dead victims were identified as Jefrianto (13, Bengkulu City), Bainah (35, Bengkulu City), Surat (60, Bangkulu Utara) and Nurbaiti (69, Muko Muko) while one victim was still unidentified.

He said the tremor which occurred on Wednesday (Sept 12) at 6.10 pm had also damaged about 100 buildings including residential houses and government offices in Bengkulu city, Seluma, Bengkulu Utara and Muko Muko districts.

He said Bakornas was continuing to collect data and to wait for reports from the affected areas. Data also showed seven shops in Bengkulu City and a state roads in Bengkulu Utara ditrict were badly damaged.

"Local authorities have begun to repair the damaged roads to keep the traffic flowing smoothly," he said.

Some 32 houses and shophouses were totally destroyed -- eight in Bengkulu City and 24 in Bengkulu Utara --, 430 buildings were seriously damaged and 609 others suffered minor damage.