The Latest: 4 dead after quake hits off Indonesia coast

JAKARTA, Indonesia – The Latest on an earthquake in Indonesia (all times local):

5:25 p.m.

Indonesian authorities say a 6.8 magnitude earthquake that hit off Java island has killed four people and damaged more than 200 houses, swaying buildings as far away as the capital.

The U.S. Geological Survey says Friday night’s quake was centred 151 kilometres (94 miles) from Banten province off the island’s southwest coast.

Agus Wibowo, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency’s spokesman, said Saturday that four people died while fleeing in panic to safety in Banten and West Java. Four others were injured.

He said 223 houses were damaged, mostly in Banten’s Pandeglang region, where a deadly tsunami struck in the dark without warning last December.

Indonesia, home to more than 260 million people, is prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions due to its location along the Pacific “Ring of Fire.”

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10:45 a.m.

Indonesian authorities say one person has died of a heart attack and more 100 houses are damaged after a 6.8 magnitude earthquake hit off Java island, swaying buildings as far away as the capital.

The U.S. Geological Survey says Friday night’s quake was centred 151 kilometres (94 miles) from Banten province off the island’s southwest coast.

The National Disaster Mitigation Agency said Saturday that a woman died of a heart attack while fleeing to safety in Pecangsari, the village closest to the epicenter. Four people have been injured.

The agency says at least 113 houses and buildings were damaged and about 1,050 people fled to temporary shelters. TV footage showed several houses and buildings in Banten and West Java provinces, including a sport stadium and hospitals, suffered minor damage.