Thousands Await Rescue After Deadly Earthquake In Indonesia
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LOMBAK, Indonesia (CBSMiami/CNN) -- A powerful earthquake on the Indonesian tourist island of Lombok killed at least 98 people, according to the authorities and now there is an operation underway to evacuate thousands of tourists.
Images released by Indonesian Marine Police showed tourists waiting on a beach to be evacuated and climbing up on a boat to be transported to the main island of Lombok on Monday.
National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said at a news conference that damage was "massive" in northern Lombok where the 6.9 magnitude quake struck.
In several districts, more than half the homes were destroyed or severely damaged.
Those killed were all Indonesian nationals. The majority of those killed were hit by falling debris from collapsing buildings, said Nugroho, the head of Indonesia's disaster management department.
In total, an estimated 20,000 people have been displaced by the massive earthquake, Nugroho said.
Rescuers are battling collapsed bridges, electricity and communication blackouts and damaged roads blocked with debris.
More than 200 people also injured in the quake.
Families and tourists are fleeing the islands as more than 100 aftershocks have hit the area since the quake struck the region, according to local reports.
Flights from Lombok and Bali airports continued to operate on Sunday evening, despite superficial damage to structures. Some travelers remained stranded at airports during the tremors.
Retiree Deborah Storck was in a restaurant, about to eat dinner in Senggigi, on Lombok's west coast, when the quake hit.
"Everything started moving; the noise was deafening. We ran out into the street and a friend and I stood in the parking area hanging on to a parked car which was also swaying severely," she said.
"The friend I was with in the car park had a very lucky escape. A large wall fan fell off and landed in the chair she was sitting in before it ended up on the floor under the table."
The earthquake was also felt in neighboring Bali, another popular tourist spot. More than 100 aftershocks continued to rattle the region after the main quake.
Across the island, residents and tourists were advised to stay outside, with many choosing to sleep in the streets and public areas away from large buildings. Hospital patients were wheeled outside because of fear of aftershocks.
The devastation comes exactly a week after the region was hit by a 6.4 magnitude quake that left at least 15 people dead and 162 injured.
