Jayapura. A 5.4-magnitude earthquake jolted the Papua capital of Jayapura on Thursday afternoon, killing at least four people and destroying 16 buildings, a local government official said.

The quake was followed by a number of aftershocks that caused residents to stay outdoors.

“We just held a meeting and decided to impose the emergency status for 21 days starting today,” provincial government secretary Robby Kepas Awi told reporters.

During the period, the government will collect data on the impact of the earthquake and rebuild damaged infrastructure, he added.

At least 500 people left their homes and stayed at a number of shelters provided by the government.

According to the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), the quake occurred in Jayapura at a depth of 10 kilometers at 15:28 local time (06:28 GMT).

A municipal hospital in the city moved around 300 patients to the open space during the tremor, which caused the building to crack.

“At least eight service rooms sustained serious damages so we decided to move patients outside,” hospital director Anton Motte said.