Medan, N Sumatra (ANTARA News) - The magnitude 5.5 earthquake that rocked Tapanuli district in North Sumatra province on June 14 left a total of 2,511 houses damaged until Wednesday, a local administration official said.

The figure might increase in the next two days as the number of damaged houses in many other affected villages was still unknown, the head of the public relations division at the North Tapanuli district administration, Jahormat Lumbangaol, said on Wednesday.

"So it is understandable if until now officers are working in the affected areas to gather data on damaged houses," he said.

The damaged houses were located in the four subdistricts of Pahae Jae, Pahae Julu, Simangumban and Purba Tua, he said.

Pahae Jae was the worst-hit subdistrict where a number of houses were damaged beyond repair, he said.

The June 14 quake also forced the hospitalization of 1,012 people.

The chief of medical team for North Tapanuli quake victims, dr Ronald Naibaho, said 427 of the patients were suffering from upper tract respiratory infection, 307 from `dispepsia`, 103 from `cepalgia`, 62 from `insomania` or psychological disorders, 35 from diarrhea, and 55 from hypertension.

The head of North Tapanuli District`s Natural Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD), Tumbur Hutabarat, said the quake also caused damage to 34 school buildings, 41 houses of worship, eight government offices and 42 public facilities.

Two earthquakes each measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale jolted Tarutung, North Sumatra Province, on June 14 respectively at 7.08 am and 10.01 am local time.

The first temblor was located 30 km southeast of Tarutung with its epicenter located at 1.79 degrees northern latitude and 99.13 degrees eastern longitude, and a depth of 10 km below sea level, the national meteorological, climatology and geophysics office said here Tuesday.

The second earthquake`s epicenter was located at 1.83 degrees northern latitude and 99.07 degrees eastern longitude, 22 km southeast of Tarutung.(*)
(S012/HAJM/O001)

Editor: Ruslan Burhani
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