Aftershocks Detected after Powerful Earthquake in Lombok, Bali Today

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A powerful earthquake measuring 7.1 magnitudes rocked Lombok, Bali, and its surroundings at 02:55:32 Western Indonesian Time (WIB) today, August 29, 2023. The National Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) reported that the quake centered in Java Sea, northern Lombok, was followed by two aftershocks.

According to the agency’s head of the quake and tsunami center, Daryono, the deep quake occurred as the result of oblique normal faulting, which is the slab-pull activity or the extensional pull of the Australian Plate under the influence of gravity.

“The quake was located in the sea, 163 km northeast of North Lombok, NTB, at a depth of 525 km,” he outlined.

People in Bali’s Kuta felt moderate shaking or the Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) scale V. People in Gianyar, Denpasar, Waingapu, Lombok, and Sumbawa felt light shaking or MMI IV. people in Karangkates felt weak-light shaking or MMI III-IV. People in Banjarmasin, South Kuta, and Tabanan felt weak shaking or MMI III. People in Trenggalek felt weak shaking or MMI II-III. 

No reports of damage yet

There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties caused by the powerful quake, which did not have the potential to generate a tsunami. Two aftershocks measuring 6.1 and 6.5 were recorded as of 03:22 WIB.

Daryono asked residents to remain calm, not to be influenced by rumors, and to avoid cracked or damaged buildings. On the BMKG’s social media, a lot of people claimed to be in Bali, Lombok, Banyuwangi, Jember, Kebumen, and Malang reported being woken up by the strong earthquake

MARIA FRANSISCA LAHUR

Editor's Choice: BMKG Detects 2 Strong Earthquakes Hit South Kalimantan, Lombok

Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News