A powerful earthquake measuring 6.4 on the Richter scale joltes Denpasar, Mataram, and Manado early on Saturday but there was no immediate report of causalties or material damage.
Local Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysies Agency (BMKG) spokesman Endro Tjahjono said the epicenter of the quake was located 9.67 degrees southern latitude and 115.49 degrees eastern longitude at a depth of 36 km below the sea level, 101 km southeast of Nusa Dua, Bali.
“But we have yet to receive any report on casualties or material damage caused by the powerful earthquake,” Endro said, adding that the temblor forced residents in Denpasar to rush out of their homes in panic.
The people in Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara, also felt the severity of the earthquake and scrambled out of their houses for fear of an aftershock.
Besides Denpasar and Mataram, the North Sulawesi provincial city of Manado, wa also rocked by an earthquake at 2.30 a.m. local time on Saturday.
The epicenter of the quake that rocked Manado was located in North Maluku waters, 117 km Northwest of Ternate in North Maluku, and 15 km northeast of Bitung, 249 km southeast of Melonguane, 253 km northeast of Manado, and 269 km southeast of Tahura in North Sulawesi.
BMKG also reported that the epicenter of the quake jolting North Sulawesi and north Maluku was located 1.80 degrees northern latitude and 127.10 degrees eastern longitude at a depth of 91 km under sea level.
Earlier at 7.53 a.m local time of Friday, North Sulawesi was also jolted by a 5.1 magnitude earthquake, 4.52 degrees northern latitude, 126.75 degrees eastern longitude, around 58 km northeast of Helonguane, North Sulawesi, at a depth of 22 km below sea level but did not have a potential to triggers tsunami.
On the same day, Friday, west Sumatra was also jolted by a 5.2 magnitude earthquake at 8.05 a.m.
The temblor which was felt in places as far as MukoMuko, Bengkulu province, had its epicenter 1.48 degrees southern longitude and 99.48 degrees eastern latitude.
According to BMKG data, the earthquake’s epicenter was also located 72 kilometers southeast of Siberut Island, Mentawai, West Sumatra, at a depth of 10 kilometers below sea level.
Eight injured
During the quake, at least eight people were injured. Spokesman for Sanglah Hospital IGN Putra Wibawa said the largest hospital in Bali was treating eight people who sustained injury after debris from their houses fell on them.
“We have received eight patients who were injured in the earthquake. The eight patients consist of two from Mengwi in Badung district and six from Denpasar city,” he said.
Three of the eight patients had leg and feet fractures two had light injuries on their head and the rest were chafed, he said.
“the three victims with broken legs and feet underwent surgery and are now recovering,” he said.
Spokesman for the local meteorology, climatology and geophysics station Endro Tjahjono said the epicenter of the quake which struck at 7.06 a.m. was located 101 km southeast of Nusa Dua, Bali, at a depth of 36 km.
The magnitude 6.4 earthquake was also felt by people living as far away as Mataram, capital of neighboring West Nusa Tenggara province.
The quake was felt by people in Denpasar and environs at IV-V on the Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI), Ubud tourist resort at II-III on the MMI and Tabanan district at II-III on the MMI.
“The quake did not have the potential to cause a tsunami. Therefore, the public should keep calm, not panick but remain vigilant,” he said.
The quake was the second to hit Indonesia on Saturday.
News by International Bali Post
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