Death Toll From Indonesia Quake Rises to 24

A magnitude 6.5 earthquake in Indonesia’s North Sumatra has killed at least 24 people, with more feared to be buried under debris, a local deputy chief said Wednesday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Said Mulyadi, the deputy head of the Pidie Jaya district in the worst-hit Aceh region, confirmed the death toll to BBC Indonesia.

The quake struck 11 miles off the town of Sigli in the Aceh province, collapsing many public buildings and homes, as well as mosques. It was followed by four strong aftershocks that were felt across the region.

Indonesia is located in the so-called Ring of Fire quake zone where a large number of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur. Hundreds of thousands died in 2004 when a record quake hit the Aceh region, triggering a tsunami.