Quakes, volcanoes, aviation accidents mark a deadly year in Indonesia
Thousands of residents in Jakarta were evacuated due to floods caused by torrential rain.
(Reuters) - Quakes, volcanoes, maritime and aviation accidents mark a deadly year in Indonesia
TIMELINE:
January 1, 2018 - A boat carrying 48 passengers sank off Indonesia’s Kalimantan island on the first day of new year, killing at least eight people.
January 15, 2018 - A mezzanine floor collapsed at the Indonesia Stock Exchange building and injured at least 77 people.
January 23, 2018 - Office workers flee buildings in Jakarta as a quake struck neighbouring West Java province, injuring eight people and damaged over 100 buildings.
February 6, 2018 - Thousands of residents in Jakarta were evacuated due to floods caused by torrential rain.
February 19, 2018 - Mount Sinabung spewed volcanic ash as high as 5,000 metres into the air. This was the biggest ever eruption of the volcano since it became active in August 2010. Mount Sinabung had been inactive for four centuries.
March 22, 2018 - Toxic sulphuric gas emitted from volcano Mount Ijen sent 30 to hospital and prompted the closure of the popular tourist and mining site.
March 31, 2018 - Authorities declared a state of emergency after oil covered nearly 13,000 hectares off the coast of Balikpapan, a mining and energy hub. A coal ship that dropped anchor near the shore was blamed for dragging an underwater oil pipeline for more than 100 meters and causing it to crack. Five fishermen were killed in the resulting fire.
April 25, 2018 - A fire erupted at an illegal oil well killing at least 18 people and injuring 41 as they scrambled to collect oil after the well overflowed.
May 13, 2018 - A family of six launched suicide attacks on Christians attending Sunday services at three churches in Indonesia’s second-largest city, Surabaya, killing at least 13 people and wounding 40.
May 14, 2018 - A suicide bomber on a motorbike wounded several police outside a police building in Surabaya, one day after deadly churches attack.
June 13, 2018 - At least 15 people died after two boats sank in rough waters as they were travelling home ahead of the Eid-al-Fitr festival.
June 18, 2018 - Ferry carrying nearly 200 people sunk in North Sumatra’s Lake Toba, one of the world’s deepest volcanic lakes, where only close to 20 people are rescued. Many passengers are believed to have been trapped inside the overloaded ferry that is now submerged around 450-meter under water.
June 29, 2018 - Ash from a volcanic eruption of Mount Agung forced the closure of the international airport on the resort island of Bali after the volcano became active again after a lull since late 2017.
July 3, 2018 - Thirty-one people drowned after a ferry carrying more than 100 passengers capsized off the southern coast of Sulawesi province. Most of the passengers managed to evacuate after the captain steer his ship onto a reef.
July 29, 2018 - A 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck Lombok island and killed 16 people. This was the first wave of quakes to hit the popular tourist island.
August 5, 2018 - Another powerful 6.9 magnitude quake hit Lombok, killing over 400 people and prompting tourists to leave the resort island.
September 23, 2018 - Active volcano Anak Krakatau, or known as the ‘Child of Krakatau’, showed a dramatic eruption at night. The volcano has been active since June but caused no flight or maritime disruptions.
September 29, 2018 - A 7.5 earthquake struck Sulawesi island, triggering a two-metre high tsunami, killing more than 2,000 people, while as many as 5,000 people are believed to be missing. More than 88,000 people were displaced in the worst-hit city of Palu and 67,000 homes were destroyed or damaged.
October 29, 2018 - Lion Air flight JT610 carrying 189 on board, crashed into the Java sea 13 minutes after taking off from Jakarta. Investigation on the crash focused mainly on potential maintenance problems including a faulty sensor. The incident prompted Boeing and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to evaluate pilots’ procedures for the new 737 MAX aircraft.
