M4.7 Earthquake Rattles Indonesia's Bengkulu

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A 4.7-magnitude earthquake struck northern Bengkulu and the surrounding area at 06:25 a.m. local time on Friday, May 24. The head of the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Center (BBMKG) in Tangerang Region II, Hartanto, said the epicenter was detected at sea.

“[It was located] at 54 kilometers southwest of North Bengkulu at a depth of 31 kilometers,” he said in a written statement, shortly after the quake.

Considering the hypocenter, Hartanto said it was a shallow quake triggered by fault activity on the seafloor. The tremor was felt by residents of Bengkulu City on an intensity scale of III-MMI.

“Until now, there have been no reports of damage to buildings as a result of the quake,” he added.

As of 06:43 a.m. local time, the agency confirmed that no aftershocks had occurred in Bengkulu. Hartanto also appealed to the public to remain calm and not be influenced by unofficial information. “Make sure to only get information from the BMKG that is disseminated through verified communication channels.”

IRSYAN HASYIM (KONTRIBUTOR)

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