The United States Geological Institute (USGS, its English acronym) reported on Tuesday (14) that a strong earthquake of magnitude 7.3 shook the Momiri region in Indonesia. A 5.6-degree follower struck the city of Larantuka.
The institute’s monitors warned of the possibility of a tsunami. Warnings have been issued for the areas of Maluku, East Nusa Tenggara, West Nusa Tenggara, Southeast and South Sulawesi.
According to the US Geological Survey, the main earthquake was recorded about 100 kilometers north of the city of Momiri, at a depth of 18.5 kilometers in the Flores Sea, at 3:20 AM GMT (0:20 AM EDT).
There are no reports of injuries or deaths.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center reported that “hazardous tsunamis” are possible “in coastal areas located within 1,000 km of the epicenter”.
Indonesia experiences frequent tremors and volcanic eruptions due to its location in the Pacific Ring of Fire, an arc of intense seismic activity where tectonic plates collide and extending from Japan to Southeast Asia, passing through the Pacific Basin.
Among the deadliest earthquakes ever recorded in Indonesia is the devastating 9.1-magnitude earthquake in 2004 that shook the coast of Sumatra and triggered a tsunami that killed 220,000 people across the region, including about 170,000 in Indonesia.
In 2018, another strong earthquake rocked the island of Lombok, followed by several more over the next two weeks that left more than 550 people dead. In the same year, a 7.5-magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami on the island of Sulawesi killed or missing more than 4,300 people.
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