Aceh's Sinabang Hit by 5.0 Magnitude Earthquake

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Early hours of today, Dec. 1, a 5.0 magnitude earthquake rocked Sinabang, Simeulue, Aceh Province, the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) reported.

The epicenter of the quake, which occurred at 00:14 Western Indonesian Time (WIB), was noted at 66 kilometers northwest of Sinabang, or 2.97 degrees North Latitude and 96.04 degrees East Longitude, at a depth of 26 kilometers.

The agency also reported that the quake had no potential for a tsunami, yet aftershocks were possible to occur.

Indonesia’s regions are often hit by quakes as the world’s largest archipelago is located on the Pacific Ring of Fire. The BMKG noted that at least 11,573 quakes of various magnitudes and depths occurred throughout 2019.

Aceh is among the earthquake-prone regions. The province was hit by a devastating 9.0 magnitude quake on December 26, 2004, followed by a 20-meter-high tsunami.

The natural disaster killed more than 200,000 people and resulted in grief for not only Indonesians but also people from other countries, including Thailand, India, and Sri Lanka.

Also Read: BMKG: Mentawai, Padang Hit Again by Earthquake

ANTARA