At least one person has died and several others have been hospitalized after a 7.4-magnitude earthquake hit Indonesia’s Maluku Strait early on Thursday morning, with the quake also causing varying degrees of damage to multiple buildings in Manado, the capital city of the North Sulawesi province. The quake struck at 06:48 local time Thursday at a magnitude of 7.4 and a depth of 30 kilometers, according to measurements by the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC).
There were scenes of panic outside a hospital in Manado when the quake hit, with several seconds of intense shaking causing cracks to appear in the building of the medical facility which belongs to the Siloam private healthcare group.
Patients and medical staff were urgently evacuated to the roadside, with some seen in wheelchairs or still connected to intravenous (IV) drips, while others were even pushed out of the wards on their hospital beds. A car parked downstairs was hit by falling debris, shattering its windows.
"Some people were sleeping at the time, some had just undergone surgery, and others were receiving treatment. The earthquake damaged the hospital's ceiling, and I also saw some cracks in the walls," said Billy Lombok, the family member of a patient.
A tsunami warning was issued but later lifted following the quake as Indonesian authorities observed no significant sea level changes.
Patients rushed out from hospital building as 7.4-magnitude quake hits Indonesia, killing one
Patients rushed out from hospital building as 7.4-magnitude quake hits Indonesia, killing one
China has always been a reliable friend to Latin American and Caribbean countries and stands ready to work with regional countries, including Brazil, to further deepen and expand overall China-Latin America cooperation, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Monday.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during the fifth China-Brazil Foreign Ministerial-Level Comprehensive Strategic Dialogue with Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira in Beijing.
Wang said that in recent years, under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, China-Brazil relations have become increasingly global, strategic and far-reaching in influence.
"Practical cooperation across all fields has been steadily upgraded, and the two peoples have never been closer," he added.
Wang said the two sides should fully implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, continue to advance the building of a China-Brazil community with a shared future, jointly counter various external challenges, and build greater synergy for each other's modernization drives and the unity and self-improvement of Global South countries.
Noting that China appreciates the Brazilian government's long-standing commitment to the one-China principle, Wang said China supports Brazil in safeguarding its national sovereignty, upholding independence and autonomy, and achieving greater development.
The two sides should advance exchanges and cooperation in culture, education, tourism, sports, sub-national areas, youth, media and other fields, Wang said, adding that it is important to strengthen communication and coordination under multilateral mechanisms including the United Nations and BRICS, earnestly implement the four major global initiatives, and promote the development of a more just and equitable global governance system.
Vieira stated that Brazil will always adhere to the one-China principle. He said Brazil looks forward to consolidating strategic mutual trust with China, deepening practical cooperation, cementing public support for bilateral ties, and achieving common prosperity.
Noting that both Brazil and China are important forces championing multilateralism and free trade, Vieira said Brazil is ready to work with China to enhance multilateral coordination, jointly advance the reform of the global governance system, uphold the authority of the United Nations, and promote international fairness and justice.
China ready to work with Brazil to further expand overall China-Latin America cooperation: Chinese FM
China ready to work with Brazil to further expand overall China-Latin America cooperation: Chinese FM
