Aftershock hit West Java, Papua

An earthquake measuring 5.6 on the Richter Scale hit Ujung Kulon, West Java, on Friday at 7.52 a.m, the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) reported.

The quake's epicenter was located at 15 kilometers below sea level, around 95 kilometers northwest of Ujung Kulon, the western most area of Java Island.

Another earthquake measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale also jolted Kaimana district in West Papua early Friday morning.

BMKG said major quakes that rattled West Sumatra, West Java and Papua in the past few days were connected to one another.

Head of the BMKG’s seismologic center, Suhardjono, told The Jakarta Post Thursday evening that the epicentres of the three quakes were located on the meeting points of three major tectonic plates – the Eurasian, the Indo-Australian and the Pacific – prompting quakes in other connected points.

“The meeting points of the three giant plates have the potential to release energy through quakes. A quake will be followed by other quake until a balance of energy is reached,” Suhardjono said.

At least 59 people had died, 37 people still missing and more that 25,000 forced to take refuge following a 7.3-magnitude quake that hit the southern part of West Java on Wednesday.