Indonesia earthquake: Search for survivors

as death toll soars

 Published

23 November 2022

The earthquake and subsequent aftershocks brought down many buildings

By Valdya Bara in Cianjur & Frances Mao in Singapore

BBC News

Rescuers in Indonesia have continued their efforts to find survivors trapped after
Monday's earthquake in West Java.

The latest official figures say 271 people were killed - many of them children - and are 40 still
missing. Hundreds of others were injured.

Damaged roads and the vast size of the affected area are making it difficult to locate and help
victims.

Aprizal Mulyadi was at school when the quake hit, and was trapped after "the room collapsed".

The 14-year-old said his "legs were buried under the rubble", but he was pulled to safety by his
friend Zulfikar, who later died after himself becoming trapped.
The National Disaster Mitigation Agency said on Tuesday that 22,000 houses had been damaged,
and that more than 58,000 people had taken shelter in several locations in the region.

The 5.6 magnitude quake struck a mountainous region the previous day, causing landslides that
buried entire villages near the West Java town of Cianjur.

Victims were crushed or trapped after walls and roofs caved in. "It all happened so fast," Aprizal
told AFP news agency.

A representative of the National Search and Rescue Agency also confirmed that many of the
dead were young people.
"Most of the casualties are children because at 1pm, they were still at school," said Henri
Alfiandi.

IMAGE SOURCE,REUTERS
A collapsed school building in Cianjur

The earthquake, which struck at a shallow depth of 10km (six miles), was followed by dozens of
aftershocks which caused more damage as poorly built homes collapsed.

In the village of Cibereum, a family was trying to retrieve the body of their eldest son - a 28-year-
old man who had been crushed when the other levels of the home fell on him.

Rescuers struggled to sift the rubble.

"We have to dig through the concrete of the second floor that crushed the victim. But we have
seen the body," a military official, Sergeant Payakun told the BBC.
Cucu, a 48-year-old resident, told the Reuters news agency that she survived after being crushed
beneath a child.

"Two of my kids survived, I dug them up ... Two others I brought here, and one is still missing,"
she said through tears.

"Many bodies are lying in the hospital grounds, it's very crowded," said her relative, Hesti.

In one area, victims held cardboard signs asking for food and shelter.

President Joko Widodo visited the remote disaster zone on Tuesday where he was pictured with
responders.

"My instruction is to prioritise evacuating victims that are still trapped under rubble," he said.

Hundreds of police and other rescuers are taking part in the rescue effort. Mr Jokowi pledged
compensation to affected communities.

Save the Children said that at least 80 schools had been damaged.
"Children are terrified and we need to get food, water and shelter to them and ensure they're
not at risk of separation from parents and caregivers," a spokesperson said.

Earthquakes are common in Indonesia, which sits on the "ring of fire" area of tectonic activity in
the Pacific.

The country has a history of devastating tremors and tsunamis, with more than 2,000 people
killed in a 2018 earthquake on the island of Sulawesi.
Kidderminster man catches giant goldfish
22 November 2022

Now here's something you don't see at the fair - a man using two hands to lift a
goldfish nearly as big as he is.

Worcestershire angler Andy Hackett landed the orange beast while on a trip to France,
in a region worthy of toasting such success - Champagne.

The giant, known as The Carrot, was introduced to Bluewater Lakes there 20 years
ago, proving elusive since.

But then came along Mr Hackett and rod; using, you might say, a Carrot and stick
approach.

The fish, he explained, was a hybrid of a leather carp and a koi carp and after a 25-
minute battle, it was all over. The goldfish that had been a white whale to many was in
Mr Hackett's net.

"You're gonna need a bigger bowl," was everyone's first thought, quickly followed by
whether there were scales large enough to weigh scaly Carrot.

But a weigh-in was achieved, with this beauty's vital statistic being a whopping 30kg (67
pounds).

And yet there was no need for a mountain of potatoes for chips - The Carrot was
released back from whence he came to leave another angler with a chance of a fishy
tale.

BLUEWATER LAKE,
Angler Andy Hackett caught the fish nicknamed The Carrot at Bluewater Lakes in
France

The goldfish commonly kept as pets do not achieve more than a few inches in length,
but they are part of the carp family which can reach impressive proportions, with
colourful koi sometimes fetching small fortunes from hobbyists.

Mr Hackett's run-in with the special breed came during a visit to a fishery on one of his
many French trips, and he said while The Carrot was often seen due to his striking hue,
he was harder to land.

BLUEWATER LAKES
Mr Hackett posed with the fish before releasing it back into the lake

"With normal fish," Mr Hackett explained, "you struggle to see them if they're just under
the surface, but The Carrot is obviously bright orange so you can't miss it.

"[But] it's a much sought-after fish, not many people have caught it, it's quite elusive."

Anglers, however, always have a chance.

"Just like a general big fish, they're heavy, they're slow, they plod around," Mr Hackett
said.

Yet anyone fancying a crack themselves may face disappointment - the fishery has a
waiting list of at least five years.
,BLUEWATER LAKES
The giant goldfish weighed in at more than 30kg