The epicenter of an earthquake measuring 5,1 on the Richter scale jolted part of South Sulawesi. (ANTARA/Grafis/Hanmus)
The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) reported that the epicenter of the earthquake was located at 7.01 degrees southern latitude and 120.49 degrees eastern longitude at a depth of 10 kilometers below the sea level.
It said the epicenter was also located at 163 kilometers southeast of Bulukumba in South Sulawesi, 176 kilometers northeast of Ruteng in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), 177 kilometers northeast of Labuhanbajo in NTT, 238 kilometers southeast of Makassar in South Sulawesi, and 241 kilometers northwest of Ende in NTT.
Indonesia`s 17,000 islands are scattered along a belt of volcanic and seismic activity known as the "Pacific Ring of Fire," making the archipelago one of the most quake-prone regions on the planet.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, two earthquakes measuring 4.9 and 5.0 on the Richter scale also rocked West Sumatra.
The earthquake on Wednesday in West Sumatra occurred at 10:14 a.m. local time with its epicenter located 1.54 degrees southern latitude and 99.44 degrees eastern longitude at a depth of 15 km below the sea level, or some 69 km southeast of Siberut, Mentawai, in West Sumatra.
At 10:30 a.m. local time on Tuesday, the province was also jolted by a 4.9-magnitude earthquake.
BMKG said the earthquake was felt strongly by people in Padang city and Pariaman district.
It said the epicenter of Tuesday`s temblor was located 1.29 degrees southern latitude and 99.39 degrees eastern longitude at a depth of 98 km below sea level, or some 74 km northeast of Siberut in Mentawai.
The temblor was registered at II-III on the MMI in Padang city and II MMI in Pariaman district.
Earlier, at 9:49 a.m. local time on the same day, a stronger earthquake measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale jolted Banda Aceh and its environs. (*)
