Lombok residents feel strong shaking from magnitude 7.7 quake

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1 hour ago

Mataram, NTB (ANTARA) – Residents on Lombok Island in West Nusa Tenggara Province felt strong shaking Saturday after a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck Nagekeo District on Flores Island in neighboring East Nusa Tenggara.

At a residential complex in Mataram, residents who had finished morning prayers or were doing household chores rushed into the streets in panic.

“The earthquake was startling because it happened while we were getting the children ready for school,” local resident Veronika told ANTARA.

She said the shaking felt like prolonged swaying, causing dizziness similar to motion sickness.

Another resident, Adam, said he was asleep when the earthquake struck.

“Suddenly, everything in my room started shaking, and I realized it was an earthquake. I hope there was no serious damage or casualties near the epicenter,” he said.

Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) said the earthquake occurred at 5:58 a.m. Central Indonesia Time, with its epicenter north of Mbay village in Nagekeo District.

The epicenter was located at 8.33 degrees south latitude and 121.32 degrees east longitude, at a shallow depth of 15 km.

BMKG issued a tsunami warning after the earthquake. In West Nusa Tenggara, a 0.17-meter wave was recorded in Dompu at 6:29 a.m. local time.

Waves also reached several coastal areas in East Nusa Tenggara. In Sikka, waves of 0.19 and 0.38 meter were recorded at 6:03 and 6:16 a.m., respectively.

Waves of 0.25 meter reached East Flores at 6:24 a.m., 0.36 meter reached Labuan Bajo at 6:26 a.m., and 0.14 meter reached Alor at 6:41 a.m.

The highest wave, measuring 0.94 meter, was recorded in Ende at 6:27 a.m. local time.

BMKG urged residents to remain calm and rely on official information about the earthquake, its developments and potential aftershocks.