Indonesian Health Ministry said that the death toll from a major earthquake that jolted the southern part of Java island Wednesday has reached 69 as more than 1,000 others injured, the Detik.com news portal reported Sunday.
Rustam M. Pakaya, head of Health Ministry's Crisis Control said that as of 19:30 local time the 7.3-magnitude earthquake centered off Tasikmalaya, West Java, has claimed 69 lives.
"Besides that, 28 people were still missing," Rustam added.
However, the National Disaster Control Agency (BNPB) has said that 73 people have been killed and expected the fatalities to rise as 34 were still missing.
Rustam said the ministry has opened 108 health service booths and deployed 2,000 medical servicemen in locations that suffered most from the earthquake.
Besides, it also sent more medicines, 6 tons of foods for the displaced and infant milk for babies.
According to Rustam, 32 cases of diarrhea have been reported among the displaced.
(Xinhua News Agency September 7, 2009)
