In the early hours of Tuesday, a powerful earthquake measuring 7.0 on the magnitude scale shook the depths of the Bali Sea, situated to the north of Bali and Lombok islands in Indonesia. The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) reported the event, which prompted locals to hastily evacuate buildings in response.
According to the EMSC, the earthquake’s epicenter was located 203 km (126 miles) to the north of Mataram, Indonesia. Remarkably, it was deeply seated beneath the Earth surface, at a depth of 516 km.
Although the Indonesian and U.S. geological agencies recorded a slightly higher magnitude of 7.1, both sources agreed that there was no immediate threat of a tsunami resulting from the quake.
The tremor, which occurred just before 4 a.m. (2000 GMT), reverberated across the coastal regions of Bali and Lombok. Following this seismic event, two subsequent earthquakes of magnitude 6.1 and 6.5 were reported by the Indonesian geological agency.
Guests staying at the Mercure Kuta Bali in Bali recounted the seconds of trembling that spurred them to rush out of their rooms. Hotel manager Suadi communicated that although a number of guests initially left their rooms, they remained within the hotel premises. He assured that the structure remained unaffected and no damage had been incurred.
As of now, there are no immediate reports of substantial damage. The Indonesian disaster agency, BNPB, commented on the quake depth, suggesting that its potential for destruction was limited. Abdul Muhari, a spokesperson for BNPB, underscored, “The quake is deep, so it should not be destructive.”
