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The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) reported that four people died in the 5.2-magnitude earthquake that jolted Jayapura city, Papua, on Thursday.

Chief executive of Jayapura city’s Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD), Asep Khalid, informed that the four victims were found in the debris of a cafeteria that collapsed in the earthquake.

The cafeteria was located above water in Jayapura city area, so the evacuation process was carried out by a team of diving experts, he said.

"The cafe collapsed due to the earthquake and we found four people in the debris. The building immediately fell into the sea," Khalid said in a statement received here on Thursday.

When the earthquake, which was felt strongly for two to three seconds, struck, people panicked and ran out of their homes, he said.

“The earthquake was felt for two to three seconds. Now, it feels like the earthquake shaking is going on," he said.

A number of buildings, including houses, public facilities, and health facilities, were damaged in the quake. Several patients at the Jayapura City Hospital were also evacuated to the courtyard of the building, he informed.

The Jayapura city BPBD team and the relevant agencies are still in the process of collecting data on damage and casualties. The joint team has also set up tent posts and emergency tents for temporary evacuation.

"The quick reaction team (TRC) is monitoring the location. We also built tent posts and the rest of the Jayapura province BPBD team also helped (set up) tents at the hospital," Khalid said.

Based on the monitoring of the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), the earthquake, which was in the shallow category and occurred at 3:28 p.m. local time, was centered at 2.60 degrees south latitude and 140.66 degrees east longitude at a depth of 10 kilometers.

The epicenter of the earthquake was only around 1 km southwest of Jayapura and 6 km southeast of Jayapura city.

Based on the BMKG’s data, Jayapura city and its surrounding areas have been rocked by earthquakes up to 1,055 times since January 2, 2023, with 120 earthquakes felt by the community.

Earlier, the Center for Control and Operations (Pusdalops) of the BNPB also received reports of an earthquake measuring 4.7 in magnitude at 10:35 p.m. local time on Wednesday.

According to the latest data, Thursday's earthquake caused the ceiling of Nurul Amin Dok V Mosque to collapse and damaged several other buildings as well.

As a form of anticipation against potential disasters that can be caused by the quake, the BNPB has reminded people not to panic and increase their preparedness and vigilance against potential aftershocks.

Earthquake early warning can be determined using items from home, for instance, by stacking tin cans. They can serve as an alarm in the event of an earthquake.

BNPB also appealed to the public to ensure that the evacuation routes out of their homes are not obstructed by large objects such as cupboards, tables, refrigerators, and others.

People who live in coastal areas have also been asked to remain alert for quakes lasting longer than 30 seconds and immediately move to higher ground to avoid a tsunami if such quakes occur. (anraeanews)