Three relatively minor earthquakes struck on and around Java island today, each occurring within a few hours of each other.
The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency reported the tremors, starting with a 6.1-magnitude quake that struck 85 kilometers northwest of Jepara, Central Java at 5:54am, with the effects felt all the way in Bali.
At 11:44am, a 5.4-magnitude quake struck inland 18 kilometers southwest of Banten’s Rangkasbitung district, with tremors felt in nearby Jakarta.
#Gempa Mag:5.4, 07-Jul-20 11:44:14 WIB, Lok:6.69 LS,106.14 BT (18 km BaratDaya RANGKASBITUNG-BANTEN), Kedlmn:82 Km, tdk berpotensi tsunami #BMKG pic.twitter.com/qMRxQHKyoJ
— BMKG (@infoBMKG) July 7, 2020
Not long after at 12:17pm, a 5.0-magnitude quake struck 234 kilometers southwest off the coast of Pangandaran regency in West Java.
#Gempa Mag:5.0, 07-Jul-20 12:17:52 WIB, Lok:9.42 LS,107.27 BT (234 km BaratDaya KAB-PANGANDARAN-JABAR), Kedlmn:10 Km, tdk berpotensi tsunami #BMKG pic.twitter.com/Pevvj0X9ei
— BMKG (@infoBMKG) July 7, 2020
Though closer to Sumatra island, another quake struck at 1:16pm 250 kilometers southeast of Bengkulu’s Enggano Island, measuring 5.2 on the scale.
No tsunami warning was issued for any of the quakes and there have been no reports of any casualties or major damages.
Indonesia is one of the most disaster-hit nations on Earth due to its position straddling the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, where tectonic plates collide.
It has been hit by a string of deadly quakes over the years, including a devastating 2004 tremor measuring 9.1 magnitude that struck off the coast of Sumatra and triggered a tsunami that killed 220,000 throughout the region, including 168,000 in Indonesia.
The Boxing Day disaster was the world’s third biggest quake since 1900, and lifted the ocean floor in some places by 15 meters.
Indonesia’s Aceh province was the hardest hit area, but the tsunami affected coastal areas as far away as Africa.
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