Manokwari: A series of powerful earthquakes rocked Manokwari, the capital of West Papua on Sunday, killing four people, wounded dozens and destroying hundreds of buildings.
A 7.3-magnitude tremor was felt as far away as Australia and Japan sent small tsunami in southeast coast, the Associated Press.
The first earthquake, 7.6, beaten at 4:43 local time, approximately 135 kilometers from Manokwari, at a depth of 35 kilometers, the U.S. Geological Survey said. Dozens of aftershocks followed.
At least four people died in Papua, where the runway of the airport, the closest to the epicenter was divided by force, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono told reporters.
"I am responsible for emergency measures be taken to help our brothers and restoring electricity and other essential public services," said Yudhoyono.
Among the dead was a 10-year-old girl, identified as Yolanda Mandofi, whose head was crushed, local hospital director said ramond TEWU.
"Our ambulances have picked up two more," he said.
19 other patients in the hospital were treated for fractures, lacerations, crushing injuries and other injuries.
Police Chief Maj. Gen. Papua Ekodanto Domba said he had heard that a hotel and a store of rice has been "destroyed", but he did not know if anyone was slain in the impact. The search for victims is underway.
Several stories of the snobbish hotel in the main town of Manokwari collapsed, "said Ina, a nurse at a naval hospital, adding that it has dealt with 20 victims of an earthquake. The earthquake has also damaged the Kalidingin hotel.
Electricity was restored to the town of 167,000 inhabitants, where people fled their homes in the dark for fear of a tsunami, "said Hasim Rumatiga, a local health official.
Earthquakes forced thousands to flee, even in the army in the city, said Manokwari military commander Col. Inf. Irham Waroiham.
Approximately 1,000 people took refuge in a military zone, 500 in a field of the Navy, 500 in the courtyard of Manokwari regency office and others in 7000 Masni district, which lies just outside the town of Manokwari.
The Meteorology and Geophysics Agency issued a tsunami warning, but he was fired less than an hour after it was determined the epicenter of the earthquake was, in the context of the continent.
Earthquakes centered in the continent no threat of tsunami in Indonesia, but can still spread waves in neighboring countries such as Japan.
Japan Meteorological Agency said a tsunami of 10 to 40 centimeters in height swept into the towns along the coast.
The quakes were also felt in Sorong regency. The spokesman of the police SNR regency. Comrie. Agus Rianto the Jakarta Post said the quake damaged 18 houses, 11 people were injured.
The most recent earthquake in Manokwari place on October 10, 2002, the largest recorded at 7.6, three people slain. Another powerful earthquake in 1996, making the huge waves that abused the north coast of Papua, and Sorong, Manokwari and Biak.
