Sumatra shaken by strong earthquake

Sumatra was shaken again today by a strong earthquake, prompting tsunami warnings in the area. Here is more news from the Jakarta Post.

Strong earthquake rattles Bengkulu, prompting tsunami alert

JAKARTA (AP): A strong earthquake hit Bengkulu on Sumatra island Tuesday, prompting authorities to issue a tsunami alert.

The quake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 struck nearly 160 kilometers off the coast of the town of Bengkulu, the Meteorological and Geophysics Agency said.

A series of powerful earthquakes and dozens of aftershocks in the same region killed 23 people and destroyed thousands of buildings last month.

There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage from Tuesday’s trembler, which registered at a depth of 20 kilometers.

Tsunami alerts are routinely issued in Indonesia, where a monstrous quake in 2005 spawned the Asian tsunami that killed more the 230,000 people in 11 countries, but a temblor of Tuesday’s size rarely causes giant, destructive waves.

Indonesia, the world’s largest archipelago, with a population of 235 million people, is prone to seismic upheaval due to its location on the “Ring of Fire,” an arc of volcanoes and fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin.

Here in Bali nobody felt the quake and there is no damage. I’m sure we’ll get our turn sometime in the future. If you happen to be in Bali during and earthquake don’t panic. Exit the building you are in avoiding elevators and wooden staircases. As you leave the building watch out for falling masonry. If you are unable to exit the building lay down next to a solid object such as a stone bathtub, kitchen counter or other such structure.

Tags: Travel Tips