A massive earthquake has shaken a popular Indonesian tourist destination, leaving tourists and locals in despair.
The region northeast of Bali was impacted by two earthquakes with magnitudes of 7.0 and 6.1, respectively, as per ABC News.
Devastating Earthquake Rocks Beloved Indonesian Tourist Hub
The incident occurred on Tuesday at approximately 5:55 a.m. AEST, with vibrations emanating from 515 kilometers beneath the earth's surface. As the ground shook beneath them, several Australian vacationers in Bali were jolted awake by the strong earthquake.
Twitter was soon inundated with first-person accounts of the terrifying event. Former Western Australian commissioner to Indonesia Ross Taylor joined his voice to the chorus of unsettling reports.
The powerful tremors that rumbled through the region were the common denominator in these accounts, causing astonishment and disruption. Unsettling footage from Bali showed tourists being evacuated from hotels as the structures appeared to sway under the force of the earthquake's shockwaves.
As pandemonium ensued, the Bureau of Meteorology in Australia provided some relief by announcing that the quake did not pose an imminent tsunami threat to Australia.
Due to its location along the Pacific's "Ring of Fire," Indonesia is prone to natural disasters. In December of last year, two Indonesian islands were shaken by a powerful 6.2 magnitude earthquake, the third of its kind to strike the popular tourist destination within weeks.
The tremor, which originated in the Indian Ocean south of the province of East Java, served as a reminder of the region's susceptibility to seismic activity, according to NDTV.
Indonesia's Lethal Earthquakes Leave a Trail of Devastation
Earthquakes in Indonesia's past have resulted in significant loss of life. In 2021, an earthquake in the hilly region of Karangasem triggered landslides that cut off three villages and claimed the lives of at least three people.
The previous year, a magnitude 5.6 earthquake shook the city of Cianjur in West Java, resulting in 331 deaths and nearly 600 injuries. This catastrophe was the deadliest since the 2018 earthquake and tsunami in Sulawesi, which killed approximately 4,340 individuals.
The country's susceptibility to these natural disasters results from its location on the "Ring of Fire," a series of volcanoes and fault lines that traverse the Pacific Basin. The Indonesian Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency has stated that while the recent earthquake did not pose an imminent tsunami threat, aftershocks posed potential threats.
Initial estimates placed the quake's magnitude at 7.4, though variations in early measurements are common. Following the earthquake, aftershocks of magnitudes 5.4 and 5.6 reverberated through the Bali Sea, heightening the unease among residents and tourists.
In response to the powerful shockwaves, numerous people evacuated their homes and hotels in search of higher ground. Later, however, the situation stabilized as text messages were sent out assuring the public that the earthquake had not caused a tsunami.
These natural disasters highlight the unpredictability and severity of seismic events. As Indonesia struggles with its geographical vulnerability, enhancing disaster preparedness and response becomes a top priority.
The nation's capacity to mitigate the effects of these occurrences and safeguard its residents and visitors is a vital endeavor that requires ongoing investment.
In light of the disruption caused by the recent earthquake, one can only hope that the affected regions recover quickly and that the lessons learned from this event contribute to a safer and more resilient future for Indonesia and its people, Daily Mail reported.
