At least 14 people were killed after an earthquake measuring 6.4 on the Richter scale hit the island of Lombok in Indonesia on Sunday morning. The quake struck at 6.47 am local time (5.17 am Indian Standard Time), and its epicentre was located 50 km northeast of Mataram city on Lombok, The Guardian reported.
Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency said at least 162 were injured during the quake. “The main focus now is evacuation and rescue. Some of the injured are still being treated at clinic,” Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, a spokesperson for disaster mitigation agency, said according to BBC.
Nugroho said more than 1,000 houses were damaged in the quake that struck the vacation destination. Bali and Lombok airports are still operating, the spokesperson said.
Indonesia’s geophysics and meteorology agency said that at least 11 aftershocks were recorded after the quake. “So far we have not received any report on damages,” agency spokesperson Hary Tirto Djatmiko said. However, the disaster mitigation agency said many buildings had been damaged.
Lombok island authorities have temporarily shut down the hiking trail on Mount Rinjani, fearing landslides, Nugroho said.
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