Indonesia Earthquake: Death Toll Rises to 310

The death toll in the 5.6 magnitude earthquake that hit Indonesia's West Java Province has risen to 310, sources said on Friday.

The 5.6-magnitude quake hit the Cianjur region in West Java at about 1:21 p.m. local time on Monday at a depth of 10 kilometres (6.2 miles), according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), causing buildings to collapse while school classes were underway.

The epicenter of the earthquake was near the town of Cianjur in mountainous West Java, about 75km (45 miles) southeast of the capital, Jakarta. The region is home to over 2.5 million people.

According to reports, the death toll from the earthquake has risen to 310 and a total of 24 people are still missing.

Around 2,043 people were injured and 61,800 have been displaced, he added. Forty people remain missing.

The agency has built 14 refugee shelters with facilities for displaced people. Victims are expected to leave their temporary tents and move to these main shelters.

The scale of the death and destruction caused by the quake became increasingly clear on Tuesday, after earlier discrepancies in the casualty numbers reported by officials.

Visiting areas affected by the quake on Tuesday, Indonesian President Joko Widodo said the government would provide compensation of up to about USD 3,200 each for owners of heavily damaged homes, reported CNN.

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