(ANSA) - MAMUJU, JANUARY 17 - Torrential monsoon rains prevent rescuers from digging through the rubble to search for survivors on the island of Sulawesi, Indonesia, hit the night between Thursday and Friday by a 6.2 magnitude earthquake that so far, according to a everything provisional, has caused at least 73 confirmed deaths and thousands displaced.
Excavator cranes are deployed on the spot, and in particular in the devastated seaside town of Mamuju of 110,000 inhabitants.
The rubble includes many concrete buildings, including a hospital.
There is also a police unit with search dogs.
"The rain constitutes a risk because the damaged buildings can collapse if it becomes too heavy - explains Octavianto, one of the rescuers - adding to the effects of the aftershocks".
At the same time, "removing the rubble too quickly with heavy machinery could kill any survivors still buried under there," adds Octavianto, adding that the people found so far were dead.
(HANDLE).
