Jakarta (ANTARA News) - South Korean President Moon Jae-In has expressed condolences to President Joko Widodo over the 7-magnitude earthquake that struck Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) on Sunday, the South Korean Embassy said here on Tuesday.

Through a written statement, the embassy said that the South Korean President expressed deep concern and sorrow over the many deaths.

President Moon also hoped that the situation in Indonesia, especially Lombok, could soon recover and re-conducive, under the leadership of President Joko Widodo.

The earthquake which struck at a depth of 15 kilometers and around 18 kilometers northwest of East Lombok District has so far claimed the lives of 108 people.

Previously, some important figures in the international community, including state leaders, have expressed concern and grief over the disaster, including UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir, and British Minister for the Asia Pacific Mark Field.

In the meantime, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) said the death toll from the powerful earthquake rose to 108 as of 00:00 Wednesday.

Chief of the BNPB Willem Rampangilei, after a coordination meeting on the handling of Lombok quake on Tuesday, said the number of injured reaches 134.

He predicted the number of injured may increase.

"As many as 50 patients have undergone operation. In total, 87 patients will have to undergo operation. The remaining 37 patients are waiting for facilities to have open and closed bone operations," he said.

The challenge facing medical workers is the higher number of patients who are traumatized to stay indoors in the aftermath of a powerful magnitude 7 quake, he said.

"They are still traumatized. Most of them are not willing to stay at building while they are undergoing operation or after they have undergone operation. They want to be treated outdoors," he said.

He said a joint medical team continued to find and rescue victims who are still trapped beneath the debris of damaged buildings.

"The search and rescue of victims is still going on in two hardest-hit areas of Lading-Lading and Bangsal. Two units of heavy-duty equipment have been mobilized in Lading-Lading, while rescue workers are still trying (to find victims) in Bangsal," he said.


Editing by Andi Abdussalam

Reporter: Aria Cindyara
Editor: Bambang Purwanto
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