A 5.6 magnitude earthquake struck the main Indonesian island of Java on November 21 2022  killing scores of people and injuring hundreds, officials reported.

The quake struck Cianjur town in West Java, at a shallow depth of 10km (6 miles) and the tremor was felt in the capital Jakarta about 100km away according to US Geological Survey data. People were taken to hospital with many being treated in a hospital car park after the hospital was left without power for several hours . Rescuers worked hard to try to save others thought to still be trapped under collapsed buildings. 

The area where the quake struck is densely populated and prone to landslides, with poorly built houses reduced to rubble in many areas.

Earthquakes are common in Indonesia, which sits on the "ring of fire" area of tectonic activity in the Pacific.

Related News and Resources

• Live webmap of damage caused by the earthquake in Indonesia