5.7 Magnitude Earthquake Shakes Mataram, Tourists Flee Hotels

TEMPO.CO, Mataram - A 5.7-magnitude earthquake jolted Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara Province on Thursday morning, December 6, at 8:02 a.m local times. The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) recorded the quake epicenter located at 8.37 degrees south latitude and 116.06 degrees east longitude.

“[The quake] precisely occurred at 23 kilometers away from the northwest of Mataram City with a depth of 10 kilometers,” said BMKG’ s Mataram Geophysics Station head, Agus Riyanto, today, December 6.

BMKG announced there was no tsunami potential following the tremor, and as of press time, no immediate report of damages and casualties. 

Read: 5.3 Magnitude Earthquake in Bali Also Felt in Several Regions

Due to the earthquake, tourists and employees at hotels in Senggigi, West Lombok District escaped the buildings. Primary school students who stayed along tourism destination area in Senggigi until Malaka Village, North Lombok District were panic and gathered at school’s field. Patients treated at Malaka Community Health Center (Puskesmas) were also evacuated from the building.

All students in Mataram City and surrounding areas were sent home earlier due to the earthquake in Lombok island. “We make this decision to prevent any unwanted things and to anticipate aftershock,” said M Amin, a teacher in Mataram elementary school SDN 25. 

ANTARA