Series of powerful earthquakes shakes eastern Indonesia, no immediate reports of casualties
Jakarta (AP): A series of powerful and shallow earthquakes shook a sparsely populated island chain in eastern Indonesia on Wednesday. There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.
The US Geological Survey said a magnitude 6.9 earthquake hit an area 341 kilometres (211 miles) southwest of Tual, a coastal town in Maluku province, at a depth of 10 kilometres (6.2 miles).
It was followed by another 7.0 magnitude quake in the same area and two 5.1 magnitude aftershocks, the USGS said.
Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysical Agency said there was no danger of a tsunami but warned of possible aftershocks.
Villagers in the Tanimbar Islands reported strong tremors for a few minutes but there was no panic, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency's spokesperson Abul Muhari said in a statement.
He said the epicentre of the quakes was in the Banda Sea near the Tanimbar Islands, with a population of about 127,000.
The country of more than 270 million people is frequently struck by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis because of its location on the arc of volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific Basin known as the "Ring of Fire."
In 2004, a 9.1 magnitude Indian Ocean quake set off a tsunami that killed more than 230,000 people in a dozen countries, most of them in Indonesia's Aceh province.
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22 students hospitalised post-lunch at Telangana school; probe underway
Hyderabad, Nov 26: At least 22 students from a government school in Telangana's Narayanpet district were hospitalised on Tuesday after complaining of headaches and stomach aches. Officials are investigating whether the illness was linked to the lunch served at the school.
The affected students had also eaten snacks from nearby bakeries and shops, and samples have been collected for laboratory testing, according to the District Educational Officer (DEO), based on preliminary information.
Over 400 students, along with district authorities, the school headmaster, and teachers, had the mid-day meal at Zilla Parishad High School in Maganoor on Tuesday. However, 22 students began experiencing symptoms of headaches, stomach pain, and vomiting at 3.30 pm.
They were admitted to a hospital, where doctors confirmed they were safe after treatment, the official said. One student who vomited claimed the potatoes and brinjal were inadequately cooked, while another had a stomach ache.
It was alleged that the affected students fell ill after having lunch, though they had also eaten snacks from outside the school. District authorities are investigating the matter from all angles, said a senior official.
This incident follows a similar case on November 20, when 17 students from the same school were hospitalised after consuming a mid-day meal.
