7.1-magnitude earthquake strikes Bali Sea, aftershocks rattle residents
BALI - A 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck deep in the sea north of Bali and Lombok islands in Indonesia early on Tuesday morning, the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) said, sending residents running out of buildings.
The quake’s epicentre was 203km north of Mataram, Indonesia, and very deep at 516,000m below the earth’s surface, EMSC said.
Indonesian and US geological agencies pegged the magnitude at 7.1, with no threat of a tsunami.
The quake was felt just before 4am local time across coastal areas in Bali and Lombok and was followed by two quakes of magnitudes 6.1 and 6.5, according to the Indonesian Geological Agency.
Guests at Bali’s Mercure Kuta hotel ran out of their rooms after feeling the tremor for a few seconds, hotel manager Suadi told Reuters by phone.
“Several guests left their rooms but were still in the hotel area,” he said, adding that they had since returned and there was no damage to the building.
Bali residents said a second aftershock sent “longer and stronger” tremors than the first.
“When the first earthquake struck, I woke up my husband. Not long after that, the second earthquake struck, so we immediately took our children outside,” said Ms Ardylla Yuliacitra, 31.
“The first earthquake made me sway like on a boat, and the second made my house tremble.”
Australia’s Seven News reported several reactions from both tourists and locals.
One man said his hotel was “swaying” during what was described as a minutes-long shake on social media.
“Hey, everyone. Woke up at 4am here in Bali with hotel swaying. Earthquake. Just posting to say my daughter and I are safe. Prayers for anyone affected by this event,” one traveller tweeted.
“Stay safe, semeton (brothers and sisters) in Bali, I’m really afraid there will be follow-ups,” a Javanese man tweeted.
Hotels evacuated their guests as staff checked beaches for fear of a possible tsunami.
“We calmed (guests) and provided mineral water and towels... Then after 15 to 20 minutes, when things felt safe, the staff invited guests to return to their rooms,” said Ms Nimas Ayu, spokesman for the Artotel hotel in Bali’s eastern Sanur area.
Former Western Australia government commissioner to Indonesia Ross Taylor posted on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, saying: “Our villa in Seminyak was shaking for around two minutes. Really frightening.”
There were no immediate reports of damage, Indonesian disaster agency BNPB said. “The quake is deep so it should not be destructive,” BNPB spokesman Abdul Muhari said.
The US warning system said there were no threats of a tsunami as a result of the earthquake that struck deep under the seabed.
There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties, although a few accounts on X posted videos of tremors being felt.
Indonesia experiences frequent earthquakes due to its position on the Pacific Ring of Fire, an arc of intense seismic activity that stretches from Japan through South-east Asia and across the Pacific basin.
In November, a 5.6-magnitude quake hit the populous West Java province on the main island of Java, killing 602 people. REUTERS, AFP
