Jakarta. The National Disaster Mitigation Agency or BNPB confirmed Tuesday that 268 people died and more than 1,000 others were injured in the epicenter of the devastating earthquake that rocked western Java a day earlier.

The West Java town of Cianjur was the hardest hit by the 5.6-magnitude quake that also displaced more than 58,000 people and destroyed over 22,000 homes in the district.

The agency said 151 residents are unaccounted for as the search for survivors continued.

It’s the worst natural disaster since 2018 when a powerful quake triggered a tsunami and liquefaction in Central Sulawesi, killing more than 2,200 people.

BNPB Head Suharyanto said only 122 bodies have been identified so far.

"We also recorded that 1,083 people were injured and 58,362 residents must stay at the refugee camps," Suharyanto said.

President Joko Widodo visited the quake-stricken area earlier in the day and instructed all related state agencies to prioritize the evacuation of victims and to reopen access to the district.

The earthquake triggered landslides that buried several main roads.

The president also promised financial assistance for residents to rebuild their homes which will be designed to be earthquake-resistant. 

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