TheJakartaPost

Please Update your browser

Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.

Jakarta Post

Aftershocks hit Lombok, cause landslides on Mt. Rinjani

News Desk (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Sun, August 19, 2018

Share This Article

Change Size

Aftershocks hit Lombok, cause landslides on Mt. Rinjani Mount Rinjani hikers arrive at the Bawaknao post in Sembalun, East Lombok, on July 30. (Antara/Akbar Nugroho Gumay)

T

wo powerful aftershocks hit Lombok Island in West Nusa Tenggara on Sunday, triggering panic in residents and landslides on Mount Rinjani.

The first was a 5.4-magnitude quake shaking the island at 10:06 a.m., followed by a stronger 6.5-magnitude quake an hour later. No tsunami warning resulted from the quakes, said National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho.

Strong jolts were felt for up to eight seconds in East Lombok, North Lombok, West Lombok and Central Lombok regencies. Meanwhile, residents in Mataram city and several cities in Bali, such as Denpasar, Jembrana, Karangasem, Badung, Gianyar and Buleleng, felt medium tremors for approximately six seconds.

“The tremors caused panic. Residents immediately went out of their houses and shelters in North Lombok, Central Lombok and West Lombok. There are no reports yet of casualties and damage from the aftershocks,” Sutopo said in a press statement on Sunday.

The strong quakes have also triggered landslides in several locations on the slopes of the second-tallest volcano in the country, Mt. Rinjani, such as Pegangsingan Hill and Anak Dara Hill in Sembali districts in East Lombok regency. Material that fell in the landslides have caused clouds of ash on the mountain’s slopes.

“There are no casualties reported as authorities still closed Mount Rinjani National Park to visitors. There are no activities from local residents and tourists in the mountain area,” Sutopo said, adding that a search-and-rescue team would still check the area after the aftershocks subside.

The deadly 6.4-magnitude quake that hit the island on July 29 had also caused landslides in the prominent tourist destination of Mt. Rinjani. At that time, more than 1,000 hikers were evacuated after major hiking trails were blocked following the powerful quake.

There were a total of 698 aftershocks recorded following the powerful 7.0-magnitude earthquake that shook the island on Aug 5. (ris)

{

Your Opinion Matters

Share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you've encountered on The Jakarta Post. We're here to listen.

Enter at least 30 characters
0 / 30

Thank You

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback.