SENGGIGI: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is offering United Nations help to Indonesia following the devastating earthquake in Lombok.
The UN chief expressed sadness at “the devastating loss of life, injuries and damage” in the quake, UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said Monday.
Guterres said “the United Nations stands ready to support ongoing rescue and relief efforts, if required,” the spokesman said.
The second quake in a week to hit Lombok has killed nearly 100 people. Indonesian officials expect the death toll to rise.
Thousands left homeless by a powerful quake that ruptured roads and flattened buildings on the Indonesian tourist island of Lombok sheltered Monday night in makeshift tents as authorities said rescuers hadn’t yet reached all devastated areas and expect the toll of 98 dead to climb.
It was the second deadly quake in a week to hit Lombok, a less-developed island compared with its more famous neighbor Bali, where the strong tremors caused panic and damaged buildings.
A July 29 quake killed 16 people and damaged hundreds of houses on Lombok, some of which collapsed in Sunday evening’s quake, measured at magnitude 7.0 by Indonesian authorities and 6.9 by the US Geological Survey.
