Western Sumatra Shaken By 6.2 Quake, Buildings Destroyed, Residents Flee, Hospitals Overwhelmed With Injured

Padang, Indonesia— A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck western Sumatra just after 6 a.m. local time Monday, knocking down houses, cracking roads and sending thousands running into the streets. The ground shook for almost 30 seconds.

The epicenter was located offshore west of Pesisir Selatan district, at a shallow depth. That shallow focus made the shaking violent on land. Villagers said it felt like the earth was rolling. Roof tiles flew. Walls split.

Disaster officials said at least 78 people were injured, many by falling debris while still inside. The number is expected to rise. More than 200 homes were reported collapsed or severely damaged, along with two schools and a health clinic. Power lines are down across three subdistricts.

"We pulled a mother and child from their kitchen," said a volunteer rescuer in Bayang district. "The concrete columns just snapped. No warning. People are still under rubble in the next village."

Hospitals in Padang and Pesisir Selatan went into emergency mode. Patients were moved outside as aftershocks hit. Doctors treated head injuries and broken limbs under tarps. One hospital director said they needed more surgeons and blood supply.

The meteorology agency recorded at least 14 aftershocks, the largest at magnitude 5.1. It issued a no-tsunami advisory but warned residents to stay clear of cracked buildings and landslide-prone slopes. Rain overnight made slopes unstable.

Access is the main problem. Landslides blocked the main coastal road in two places. Heavy equipment is stuck behind them. Villages farther south remain unreachable except by boat. Military trucks are trying to force a path.

Thousands spent the day outside. Families sat under plastic sheets, afraid to go back in. In some markets, prices for water and gasoline doubled within hours. Local officials asked for tents, blankets and generators.

Search teams are still listening for voices in collapsed homes as night falls. The ground is still moving.