Ambon (Antara Bali) - A tectonic earthquake measuring 5.0 on the Richter scale jolted the city of Tual in Southeast Maluku district at 5.10 Eastern Indonesia Standard Time (WIT) on Monday morning.
Ambon Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) spokesman Benny Sipolo said here on Monday that the epicenter of the temblor was located 5.92 degrees southern latitude and 130.78 degrees eastern longitude at a depth of 92 km under the sea, some 219 km southwest of Tual.
Benny confirmed that the earthquake did not have the potential to trigger a tsunami, fatalities, or material damage.
But Tual city councilor Rudolf Waremra said the magnitude of the earthquake was strong enough to prompt the people in the city to scramble out of their houses and office buildings for fear a of strong aftershock.
"We ran out of our houses and offices to anticipate an ensuing major aftershock," Waremra said.
Parts of Southeast Maluku, Ambon island, Seram and Buru islands are prone to tectonic earthquakes because they lie at the confluence of three major plates namely the Pacific, Indo Australia, and Eurasia.(**)
COPYRIGHT © ANTARA News Bali 2011
Ambon Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) spokesman Benny Sipolo said here on Monday that the epicenter of the temblor was located 5.92 degrees southern latitude and 130.78 degrees eastern longitude at a depth of 92 km under the sea, some 219 km southwest of Tual.
Benny confirmed that the earthquake did not have the potential to trigger a tsunami, fatalities, or material damage.
But Tual city councilor Rudolf Waremra said the magnitude of the earthquake was strong enough to prompt the people in the city to scramble out of their houses and office buildings for fear a of strong aftershock.
"We ran out of our houses and offices to anticipate an ensuing major aftershock," Waremra said.
Parts of Southeast Maluku, Ambon island, Seram and Buru islands are prone to tectonic earthquakes because they lie at the confluence of three major plates namely the Pacific, Indo Australia, and Eurasia.(**)
Editor : Masuki
COPYRIGHT © ANTARA News Bali 2011