A 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck Indonesia’s northern coast on Saturday morning, local time, prompting a tsunami warning. Three aftershocks followed, with magnitudes of 5.9, 5.6, and 6.1, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).
Tsunami Warning and Evacuations
Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency urged residents to stay away from beaches and riverbanks. The agency also called on residents along impacted coastlines to move to higher ground.
Australian authorities stated that there is no tsunami threat to the country as of now. Initial estimates from the USGS suggest that casualties and damage are possible, although the Indonesian government has not yet commented on this.
The USGS reported that about 500,000 people were exposed to very strong or severe shaking, which is capable of slight to moderate damage in well-built structures and great damage in poorly built structures.
Indonesia’s Earthquake History
Indonesia has seen several devastating earthquakes in the past. The country sits on the Ring of Fire, a band around the Pacific Ocean that is prone to frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity.
One of the deadliest earthquakes on record hit Sumatra island in 2004, with a magnitude of 9.1, killing more than 220,000 people along the Indian Ocean coastline. More recently, hundreds were killed when a 6.9 earthquake hit the island of Lombok in August 2018.
Original reporting: KEYT (Ventura/Santa Barbara) — read the source article.
