According to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC), the epicenter of the earthquake that struck early in the Bali Sea was about 126 miles (203 kilometers) north of Mataram, a city that rests on the western side of the island of Lombok, and 516 km below the Earth’s surface.
No tsunami warning was issued following the earthquake. Additionally, no damages or injuries have yet to be reported.
The quake was first felt by residents just before 4 a.m. local time (2000 GMT) in areas across the coast of Bali and Lombok. The earthquake’s aftershocks registered at magnitudes 6.1 and 6.5, both of which were later downgraded to magnitudes 5.4 and 5.6.
While Indonesia is no stranger to earthquakes, many people rushed out of their homes and hotels to seek higher ground and avoid getting stuck in any collapsing structures.
“I thought the walls were going to come down on the hotel,” said one Australian tourist.
"Several guests left their rooms but were still in the hotel area," said the hotel manager of Mercure Kuta Bali, adding that guests had since returned to their rooms as there was no damage to the building.
Indonesia’s disaster agency BNPB cited the quake’s depth as the reason for little to no damage being reported across the island nation. “The quake is so deep so it should not be destructive,” a spokesperson told the media.
Situated along the so-called ‘ring of fire,’ Indonesia frequently experiences natural disasters such as earthquakes and tsunamis. In fact, in December 2004, over 200,000 people were killed across the region after an earthquake ranging between magnitude 9.1 and 9.3 triggered a tsunami. Officials have reported that the powerful quake caused waves that reached 167 feet along the country’s Aceh province.
MNA/PR
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