A powerful magnitude 8.2 earthquake struck the Irian Jaya (Papua) region of Indonesia, triggering a massive tsunami.
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The catastrophic event resulted in at least 164 people killed or missing, 423 injured, and extensive infrastructure damage, with 5,043 houses destroyed or damaged.
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The tsunami waves reached heights of up to 7 meters, causing widespread destruction along the coastal areas.
The 1996 Biak earthquake, or the Irian Jaya earthquake, occurred on 17 February 1996 at 14:59:30 local time near Biak Island, Indonesia.
The earthquake, which occurred on the New Guinea Trench, had a moment magnitude of 8.2 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of IX (Violent). The run-up height of the generated tsunami reached 7.7 m (25 ft).
The disaster left at least 108 people dead, 423 injured, and 58 missing. It damaged or destroyed 5,043 houses which subsequently made another 10,000 homeless.
At Korim, 187 houses were destroyed. Various countries and organizations provided aid and relief in the aftermath of the earthquake.
First cricket ODI for Netherlands national team in World Cup v New Zealand in Vadodara; NZ wins by 119 runs. Garry Kasparov defeats chess-playing computer Deep Blue 4-2