Jakarta, Nov 25 (UNI) At least 100 children under the age of 15 were among those killed in the recent earthquake in the Indonesian province of West Java, UNICEF Indonesia said in a statement on Friday.
"According to the latest official estimate as of November 24, 100 children under 15 years have lost their lives, making up 37 percent of the 272 total number of persons killed," the statement said. "Reports indicate that 2,046 persons have been injured, 39 persons are missing ​and 62,882 persons have been displaced."
The massive 5.6 magnitude earthquake struck the Cianjur Regency of West Java on Monday. Head of the National Disaster Management Agency Suharyanto said earlier on Friday that the total number of people killed by the earthquake had grown to 310.
At least 45 schools were damaged by the earthquake, while some 18 students and 5 teachers were killed, and another 267 students and 10 teachers injured, UNICEF said.
"Humanitarian needs in affected areas are expected to mount, as ongoing search and rescue operations reveal the true toll and scale of need. In an emergency, children and families that have lost loved ones, been displaced, or injured, urgently need shelter, clean water, medical care and protection," UNICEF said. "The Government of Indonesia is leading the emergency response to address these and other challenges facing children and communities. UNICEF and partners are supporting these efforts to help determine the most pressing needs of children and their families."
Indonesia is located in a seismically active zone and regularly suffers from powerful earthquakes. Every year, seismologists register up to 7,000 earthquakes with a magnitude above 4.0.

UNI/SPUTNIK GNK