An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.4 struck near Indonesia’s Java island, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The tremor, which occurred offshore, was felt in the capital Jakarta and prompted residents of another city to evacuate their homes.
The earthquake had a depth of approximately eight kilometres (five miles) and hit off Java island’s northern coast near Bawean island around 3:52 pm local time (0852 GMT), as reported by the USGS. Fortunately, there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries, and local authorities did not issue a tsunami warning.
The impact of the quake was notably stronger in East Java Province, particularly in Surabaya, a major city in the region. Residents described feeling a significant jolt, with some reporting swaying of water in outdoor areas.
“I was at home when the earthquake struck. The jolt made us unsteady. The water in the sewer (outside) was swaying,” said Yulianus Andre, an AFP journalist based in Surabaya. “My family and I rushed out of home and our neighbours did too. The jolt lasted more than a minute when we were outside.”
Indonesia, being located on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” frequently experiences earthquakes due to its position where tectonic plates converge. This geological phenomenon spans from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin, making the region prone to seismic activity.
The earthquake serves as a reminder of Indonesia’s susceptibility to such natural disasters. In January 2021, a magnitude-6.2 quake in Sulawesi claimed over 100 lives and displaced thousands. The devastating impact of earthquakes was also seen in 2018, when a magnitude-7.5 quake and subsequent tsunami in Palu, Sulawesi, resulted in more than 2,200 fatalities. Additionally, the catastrophic magnitude-9.1 quake in Aceh province in 2004 triggered a tsunami that claimed over 170,000 lives in Indonesia.
Sources By Agencies
