Another Earthquake Hits Maluku, Shakes Ambon

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A 5.8 magnitude earthquake that was centered in Laut Banda on Tuesday, June 9, at 11:56 a.m. local time was felt until Ambon. Its epicenter was recorded in southern Buru Island, Maluku, around 68 kilometers south of Namrole, South Buru Regency, at a depth of 20 kilometers.

“The tremor is felt in several areas. There is no report on damage caused by the quake so far,” said the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) Head of Earthquake and Tsunami Center, Rahmat Triyono, in a written statement in Jakarta, Tuesday, June 9.

The shaking intensity level III-IV of the MMI scale was recorded in Namrole, level III in Piru, and level II in Ambon.

Based on the agency’s analysis, the shallow quake was caused by the activity of local cesareans and was not expected to trigger a tsunami. Its mechanism of movement was the horizontal sliding fault type (strike-slip).

BMKG further reminded the public to remain calm and ignore rumors regarding the quake. People are advised to avoid cracked or damaged buildings and always check and make sure that their houses are resistant to quakes.

On Thursday last week, BMKG also recorded a powerful earthquake in the near area, precisely 99 kilometers north of Daruba, Morotai Island, North Maluku. The 6.8 magnitude quake destroyed over a hundred buildings and sent trauma to locals.

ANTARA