Indonesia’s November 2022 Earthquake Devastated So Many Communities

On Monday, Nov. 21, Indonesia sustained a massive earthquake that's being measured at upwards of 5.6-magnitude. Buildings in the town of Cianjur, which is located in the province of West Java, completely collapsed. Landslides also closed several main roads, widespread power outages were reported, and schools were shut down.

To get a better idea of the areas affected, the Indonesia earthquake map shows the epicenter of the storm.

More than 162 have lost their lives as a result of the quake, and over 700 people also sustained injuries, according to The Washington Post. But unfortunately, many of the hospital buildings were affected by the shaking.

“The majority who died were hit by buildings. Some were hit on the head,” Herman Suherman, head of the Cianjur regency, told The Washington Post. “All you can hear here is ambulance sirens everywhere.”

“We need to remain vigilant,” Ridwan Kamil, the governor of West Java province also stated via The Washington Post. He reassured local reporters authorities were prepared to respond to aftershocks as well as other emergencies.

“This is disaster season at the end of the year, which is frightening,” he said.

The maps above and below show the epicenter of the earthquake in question. It's been pinpointed within Indonesia's province of West Java, about 6 miles southwest of the Cianjur district. Based on the maps, it's evident the country's capital of Jakarta, which was about 50 miles from the epicenter, was heavily shaken, when it struck at around 1:21 p.m. local time with a depth of 6 miles under-land.

Luckily, according to Xinhua, the earthquake didn't have potential to trigger a tsunami.

But as per Weather.com, at least 25 aftershocks took place following the main quake. This is based on recordings from Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency.

As previously mentioned, most were injured or killed by toppling buildings. Unfortunately, hospitals are in a bind right now, as many of the infrastructures have been affected. And what's more, so many are currently receiving medical attention — while many are still trapped by the rubble.

Houses are bearing the brunt of the storm. According to The BBC, 13,000 were displaced and 2,200 homes were destroyed. Sadly, the area affected is very densely populated, and it's vulnerable to landslides. Meanwhile, many of the homes are poorly built, so it's unsurprising yet unfortunate they could not withstand the quake.

U.S. Aid announced in a tweet that the organization would be working with the Indonesian Red Cross to provide aid those affected by the earthquake. It's encouraging those interested to stay tuned for updates, as it would likely be accepting monetary, blood, and possibly even food and clothing donations to assist the victims.

NCTzen, which is a humanity and help organization, is also accepting donations on behalf of those affected, according to a tweet from the organization, following the disaster.

The organization will be using the funds for those impacted, as needed.