Ruptly
"Five people were killed and 19 injured after an explosion believed to have been caused by a World War II-era bomb or mortar shell ripped through a fishermen’s housing complex in Papua, Indonesian police said on Monday. Footage from the scene, including footage filmed by officers who arrived at the location soon after the blast, shows residents walking through a debris-strewn area as screams ring out, while police officers, rescue teams and emergency personnel comb through the area. “I would like to provide an update on the response to the explosion—believed to be caused by a bomb or mortar shell left over from World War II,” said Papua Regional Police spokesperson Cahyo Sukarnito. “The explosion resulted in five fatalities,” he added. According to local reports, all five victims belonged to the same family: Deflin Raubaba, 41, Moris Raubaba, 24, Karmila Ayorbaba, 25, and two children, Israel Raubaba, 7, and Isril Raubaba, 5. Sukarnito noted that 19 people suffered minor injuries, while 55 residents, including three toddlers, were displaced and moved to temporary shelters provided by local authorities. Police confirmed that several body parts had been recovered from the site and transferred to the morgue at Biak Regional General Hospital for identification. “The focus of the response carried out by the Papua Provincial Police, specifically the Biak Police Department, is securing the crime scene and the surrounding area, as well as assisting the victims and searching for those who have not yet been found,” Sukarnito explained. Authorities are working alongside the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), the Indonesian military, local government officials and members of the fishing community as search operations continue. The area remains under police guard as investigators work to determine the exact cause of the blast, while search teams continue looking for anyone who may still be missing. Unexploded ordnance from World War II is occasionally discovered in parts of Papua, which was the scene of intense military activity during the Pacific campaign."
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