Indonesia announced in a preliminary toll that at least 56 people were killed and more than 700 injured following a 5.6 magnitude earthquake that struck the island of Java on Monday, damaging buildings and shaking some all the way to the capital Jakarta. The country regularly experiences earthquakes or volcanic eruptions due to its geographical location. In 2018, the islands of Lombok and Sumbawa were struck by an earthquake that killed more than 550 people, and another earthquake with a magnitude of 7.5 caused a tsunami that hit Palu on the island of Sulawesi, killing or leaving about 4,300 people missing.

At least 56 people were killed and more than 700 injured following a 5.6 magnitude earthquake that struck the Indonesian island of Java on Monday, according to local officials. Buildings were also damaged and some shook all the way to the capital Jakarta, about one hundred kilometers away.

In this context, the Governor of West Java Province, Ridwan Kamil, stated in a press conference broadcast by Kompas TV: "The data from the head of the regional team (indicates) 56 deaths and more than 700 injuries. And since many people are still trapped in the disaster site, we expect the number of injuries and deaths to increase over time."

Also, the head of the local administration in the city of Cianjur, Herman Suherman, previously said via Metro TV that "at least 300 people were admitted to the same hospital in the city." The same source pointed out that "most of the injured suffered broken bones after being trapped in the rubble of buildings."

Local newspapers also reported that shops, a hospital, and an Islamic boarding school in the city suffered severe damage due to the earthquake. Media showed several buildings in Cianjur whose roofs had collapsed.

Adam, a spokesperson for the local administration in Cianjur who goes by a single name like many Indonesians, said: "Hundreds or even thousands of homes were damaged" due to the earthquake.

Also, Suherman stated that relatives of some victims have gathered at Sayang Hospital, warning that the toll might rise as some villagers are likely still trapped under the rubble. He explained: "We are currently dealing with people in emergency condition at this hospital. Ambulances continue to arrive at the hospital from the villages." He added: "There are many families in villages that have not yet been evacuated."

Authorities earlier announced that they rescued a woman and a child trapped following a landslide in Cianjur.

Director of the Indonesian Meteorological Agency, Dwikorita Karnawati, told journalists: "We urge people to stay outside buildings for now, as we may witness possible aftershocks."

The epicenter of the earthquake is located in the Cianjur area in West Java, according to the US Geological Survey, and it was also felt by the residents of Jakarta, 100 km away, where panicked residents rushed to the streets. No major damage was immediately reported in Jakarta.