The US Geological Survey (USGS) announced that on the followingnoon of January 18, a magnitude 7 earthquake struck off the Maluku Islands, in the east of the country. Indonesia. The USGS activated a tsunami warning but later lifted it.
The epicenter The earthquake was located 150 km northwest of Halmahera island and at a depth of 48 km. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center earlier said dangerous tsunamis might occur on coasts within 300km of the quake’s epicenter.
The earthquake occurred at regarding 13:06 on January 18 (Vietnam time). Size of the quake has been adjusted down from the initial magnitude of 7.2 given by the USGS.
[Động đất độ lớn 6 làm rung chuyển đảo Sulawesi của Indonesia]
Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) warned that the quake might produce followingshocks. However, according to the AP, the agency did not issue a tsunami warning.
Indonesia is regularly subject to seismic and volcanic activity due to its location on the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, where tectonic plates collide.
November 21, 2022, one match earthquake magnitude 5.6 rocked West Java province on the main Indonesian island of Java, killing 602 people. Most of the victims died from building collapses or landslides caused by earthquakes.
Before that, a magnitude 9.1 earthquake off the coast of Sumatra on December 26, 2004 caused a tsunami in the Indian Ocean, killing more than 230,000 people, including many victims. as far as Sri Lanka, India and Thailand.
Phan An (VNA/Vietnam+)
