Three earthquakes in a day: Indonesia suffers a magnitude 6.2 quake that strikes North Maluku, tremors felt as far as Manado; earlier, two in Java

 

JAKARTA (Bernama): A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck waters off North Maluku in eastern Indonesia on Monday evening, sending tremors across parts of the province and as far as Manado in neighbouring North Sulawesi.

Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) said the earthquake occurred at 5.58 pm local time, with its epicentre about 42 kilometres northeast of Doi Island at a depth of 145 kilometres.

"There is no tsunami threat,” said the agency, advising the public to remain alert for possible aftershocks.

According to data published on BMKG’s website, tremors were felt at moderate intensity in Morotai and more lightly in North Halmahera and Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi.

The North Maluku quake was the strongest of three earthquakes recorded across Indonesia on Monday, following two earlier events.

Earlier, a magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck at 4.27 pm about 191 kilometres southwest of Bayah in Banten province, southwest of Jakarta, at a depth of 31 kilometres, with  BMKG Earthquake and Tsunami Centre director Wijayanto describing it as a shallow earthquake caused by tectonic plate subduction.

"The tremor was felt by several people in Pandeglang, with light hanging objects swaying,” he said, adding that no aftershocks had been detected as of 4.50 pm and the earthquake posed no tsunami threat.

At 8.42 am, a magnitude 5.0 earthquake struck waters about 160 kilometres southeast of Malang Regency in East Java at a depth of 39 kilometres, with tremors felt in parts of Malang and neighbouring Jember Regency.

Wijayanto said the Malang quake was also a shallow earthquake caused by tectonic plate subduction, but had a normal fault mechanism, while BMKG said it posed no tsunami threat. -- BERNAMA