A fake tsunami warning has caused thousands of victims of the Maluku earthquake in Seram province, Indonesia's Maluku province, to flee to the mountains.
Residents fled to nearby mountains and forests amid fears of a tsunami after fake news spread on the Internet following the deadly earthquake that rocked the region late last month, the Jakarta Post reported.
The victims left their homes and left with family members to carry the valuables after receiving information that the tsunami was on their way. The news spread not only among residents living in western parts of Seram, but also in other areas and cities, including the quake-hit areas in central Maluku. And Ambon.
An earthquake measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale hit Ambon and other areas in Maluku on the morning of September 26, with at least 39 people killed and about 1,578 injured in the disaster. More than 170,000 people are living in shelters and more than 6,000 have been destroyed. House and at least 512 public facilities, according to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency.