Jakarta (ANTARA News) - A 5.4-magnitude earthquake jolted South Buru District on Sunday (Jan. 17), causing casualties and damaging houses in the area, according to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB).

"As a result of the earthquake, one person died, 19 suffered minor injuries, while three were severely injured," Head of BNPBs Data and Information Center Sutopo Purwo Nughroho noted here in a press release on Monday.

Moreover, 68 houses were heavily damaged, 118 incurred moderate damage, while 53 others suffered minor damage due to the earthquake.

A mosque in the district incurred extensive damage as a result of the quake.

Limited accessibility, strong waves, and bad weather have hampered the earthquake mitigation efforts in the area, Nugroho pointed out.

The regional disaster mitigation agency of South Buru District has been collecting data and distributing logistics to the earthquake victims.

The 5.4-magnitude quake had struck the southern part of Buru Island on Jan. 17 at 6:22 a.m. local time.

The epicenter of the earthquake was located at 3.80 degrees southern latitude and 127.28 degrees western longitude at a depth of 10 kilometers.

Buru Island is the third-largest in Maluku islands. It is located between the Banda Sea to the south and the Seram Sea to the north, and to the west of Ambon and Seram Island.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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