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Indonesians flee 7.3 quake after tsunami warning | Earthquakes News

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The epicenter was reported in the northern part of the island of Flores in Nusa Tenggara province in eastern Indonesia, where the quake sparked panic.

A 7.3-magnitude 7.3 earthquake shook eastern Indonesia on Tuesday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), which warned warners of the possibility of dangerous tsunami waves before removing the threat.

The epicenter was reported in the northern part of the island of Flores in Nusa Tenggara province, eastern Indonesia, where the quake triggered a panic at around 03:20 GMT.

The Indonesian Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysical Agency, known as the BMKG, reported a 7.4-magnitude earthquake and a “potential tsunami”.

“I was in the field. He ran in terror. I’m still … scared, “Nurain, a resident of Adona Island in the eastern Flores regency, told AFP.

Terrified people were shown screaming as they gathered on the street as the ground shook, according to a video obtained by Al Jazeera Marius Jelamu, a spokesman for the office of Governor Nusa Tenggara in the East.

Another video provided by the same source showed a slight increase in water levels in a coastal area of ​​the province but no major tsunami was reported.

No major damage or deaths were reported in the quake-hit areas, although authorities have called for caution.

The USGS said the death toll was low, adding that “recent earthquakes have caused secondary risks in this area, such as tsunamis and landslides, which could result in losses.”

“They all took to the streets,” Agustinus Florianus, a resident of Maumere on the island of Flores, told Reuters.

Tsunami warnings were issued for Maluku, East Nusa Tenggara, West Nusa Tenggara and areas of Southeast and South Sulawesi after the earthquake struck 112 km (69.59 miles) northwest of Larantuka, east of Flores, at a depth of 12 km (7.4 km). ). kilometers).

A 5.6-degree aftershock struck Larantuka after the first earthquake, according to reports.

Alfons Hada Betan, head of the East Flores Disaster Relief Agency in Larantuka, also said there was no news of any immediate damage and that the quake was felt for several minutes as people fled their homes.

People gather outside the East Nusa Tenggara province hall on Tuesday after a strong earthquake hit the area [Photo from Marius Jelamu/Office of the Governor for Economics and Development NTT]

People said on social media that the quake was felt strongly in Makassar, South Sulawesi.

Indonesia is frequently affected by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions due to its location Pacific “Ring of Fire”, An arc of intense seismic activity colliding with tectonic plates extending from Japan to Southeast Asia and the Pacific Basin.

Among the deadliest earthquakes in Indonesia was a devastating 9.1 magnitude earthquake in 2004 that hit the coast of Sumatra and caused a tsunami of 220,000 deaths across the region, including about 170,000 in Indonesia.

Boxing Day was one of the deadliest natural disasters in history.

In 2018, a strong earthquake shook Lombok Island and several other earthquakes erupted in the following weeks, killing more than 550 people on the holiday island and nearby Sumbawa.

That year there was a 7.5 magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami. Palu is an island in Sulawesi It killed or left more than 4,300 people dead.

On December 4, at least 48 people were killed and hundreds injured The Semeru volcano erupted on the island of Java on December 4.

With additional report by Aisyah Llewellyn



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