Indonesia survivor says many buried in mosque

Rescuers carry the body of an earthquake victim recovered from the collapsed Jabal Nur Mosque in North Lombok, Indonesia on Aug. 7, 2018. AP

LADING-LADING, Indonesia  — A man who narrowly escaped from the Jabal Nur mosque that collapsed during an earthquake in Lombok on Sunday evening says there were about 100 people praying inside when the earthquake struck and though many got out, dozens were buried in the rubble.

A distraught Muhamad Juanda said Tuesday that “people were praying in two rows; there are about 50 people in each row so a total of 100 people praying inside the mosque.”

Separately, the local village head, Budhiawan, said about 30 people were trapped based on unclaimed belongings outside the mosque.

Juanda said: “I stayed (inside) during the first shock but the shock grew stronger and we rolled around trying to run out and I was already outside … when the mosque collapsed.”

The National Disaster Mitigation Agency hasn’t said how many people it believes were buried in the mosque but spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nguroho said he hopes “a lot” will be rescued. A dramatic video showed one man being pulled out alive Monday by soldiers.

The disaster agency says the overall death toll has risen to 105 and will continue to increase.

Soldiers have pulled a man alive from the rubble of a large mosque that collapsed in northern Lombok during Sunday night’s powerful earthquake.

Video shot by a soldier on Monday shows the rescuers shouting “Thank God” as the man is pulled out from a space under the Jabal Nur mosque’s flattened roof and staggers away from the ruins supported by soldiers.

“You’re safe, mister,” says one of the soldiers as emotion overcomes the saved man and villagers crowd around him.
The north of Lombok has been devastated by the magnitude 7.0 quake and rescuers are struggling to reach all the affected areas.

Efforts to find survivors in the ruins of Lading-Lading village’s mosque that collapsed while worshippers were praying are continuing Tuesday. A backhoe was dragging away parts of the collapsed structure.

The toll of at least 98 dead is expected to rise as rescuers reach more devastated areas. /ee