the local government have been sent to the field for (conducting) assessment and collecting data on the damage
Bandung, West Java (ANTARA) - There are three areas severely affected by the 4.8-M earthquake that happened on New Year's Eve in Sumedang, namely Tegalsari, Cipamengpeuk, and Babakan Bukit, an official of a district in Indonesia's West Java said.

Based on the report of the West Java Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD), Acting District Head of Sumedang Herman Suryatman quoted here on Monday, there are 14 villages in the Sumedang region that were affected by the earthquake and 84 houses were lightly to severely damaged.

There were no casualties but there were injuries as some people were hit by building damages, the disaster agency reported.

"Teams from BPBD, the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), and the local government have been sent to the field for (conducting) assessment and collecting data on the damage," Suryatman said.

He said that he received a report stating that two hospitals were also affected by the quake, namely Sumedang Regional Hospital and Pakuwon Hospital. Patients at the two hospitals were evacuated outside the hospital and treated in emergency tents.

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"At the time of the incident, there were 248 inpatients and 83 patients in the emergency room in the Sumedang Hospital. The parts reported as damaged are the pavilion and the VIP rooms. The patients are now safe and an emergency tent is set up," Suryatman said.

Head of Sumedang BPBD Atang Sutarno clarified on the news that said there would be aftershocks with greater strength.

He said that the aftershock news is a hoax and made by irresponsible people because there is no yet technology that can predict when an earthquake will occur.

Sutarno asked all residents of Sumedang and its surroundings not to panic but to remain vigilant, and only to trust information related to earthquakes from BPBD, BMKG, and other government agencies.

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Translator: Ricky P, Kenzu
Editor: Jafar M Sidik
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