Free Republic

A shallow earthquake shook Indonesia’s easternmost province of Papua on Thursday, killing four people who were unable to escape when a floating restaurant collapsed into the sea. The U.S. Geological Survey said the magnitude 5.1 earthquake hit residential areas in Jayapura, near Papua's northern coast and was centered at a depth of 22 kilometers (13 miles). Shallow quakes often cause more damage on the Earth's surface. “The residents were really panicked. I was in a car, and I felt like the car's wheels were lifted up,” said Tri Asih, a resident of Jayapura, Papua's capital. Officials said four people who...