The Jakarta Post, 10/13/2002 1:58:08 AM
Bali blast toll reaches 60, more bodies buried under rubble
DENPASAR (JP): The number of casualties from the blasts in Indonesia's Bali tourist
island continued to grow, with the latest report saying 60 had been confirmed dead by
1:42 a.m.
Meanwhile hospitals here were busy treating the wounded. At Sanglah Hospital in
Denpasar alone around 160 people had been brought in. Two more hospitals, the
Army Hospital on Jl. Sudirman and Graha Asih Hospital in Nusa Dua tourist resort,
had received 20 victims each.
Many more bodies were expected to be found from under the rubble of destroyed
buildings.
The blast on Jl. Legian in the crowded Kuta tourist resort had also caused fire, which
spread to neighboring buildings. At 1:48 a.m. fire fighters were still trying to put out
the fire.
Police meanwhile said the first blast that occurred in Renon, south of here, was quite
far from the U.S. consulate general. Earlier reports said it was near the U.S.
consulate general. No casualties or damage were reported from the Renon blast,
which police described as minor.
"The blast took place on the side of the road and there was no one injured because
the home-made bomb was apparently thrown and exploded some 250 meters from the
U.S. consulate general," Bali Police spokesman Adj. Sr. Comr. Suyatmo said.
The larger explosion on Jl. Legian was suspected to have come from a car bomb. The
car was allegedly parked at Bank Panin.
The blast badly damaged both the Padi Club and the Sari Club across the street, a
popular hangout of foreign tourists, damaging several cars parked on the street.
"I believe that the blast was caused by a home-made bomb," Suyatmo told AFP.
Meanwhile many foreign tourists had left their hotels to visit hospitals in search of
news of their relatives and families.
Many of the victims were foreigners holidaying in the tourist island.
Indonesia has been rocked by a series of bomb blast, but until last night Bali had
remained unaffected.
All contents copyright © of The Jakarta Post.
|
