JAKARTA, Aug 17 (Bernama) -- Two more moderate earthquakes struck waters around Flores Island in Indonesia’s East Nusa Tenggara province early Monday, two days after a deadly magnitude 7.7 quake struck the area.
According to data from the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) website, the latest, a magnitude 5.8 earthquake, occurred at 7.46 am local time, with its epicentre in the sea about 40 kilometres (km) northeast of Nagekeo at a depth of 10 km.
The data showed that tremors were felt across several parts of East Nusa Tenggara, including Nagekeo, Ende, Manggarai, Ngada and East Manggarai.
Earlier, a magnitude 5.0 earthquake struck at 12.26 am, with its epicentre in the sea about 75 km northeast of Ruteng in Manggarai, also at a depth of 10 km.
BMKG noted that both earthquakes had no potential to trigger a tsunami and advised residents to remain alert for possible aftershocks.
The two earthquakes occurred two days after Saturday’s deadly earthquake struck off the island early in the morning, killing at least 53 people, injuring 135 others and causing widespread damage across East Nusa Tenggara.
National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) Deputy for Prevention Abdul Muhari said on Sunday that BMKG had recorded 995 aftershocks as of 3 pm local time, although only a small number were felt by residents.
An earlier report said 9,290 people remained at evacuation sites as of midnight Saturday, as continued aftershocks, concerns over damaged homes and lingering trauma from the devastating 1992 Flores earthquake and tsunami prompted some residents to stay away from their homes.
BMKG noted that neither earthquake had the potential to trigger a tsunami and advised residents to remain alert for possible aftershocks.
The two earthquakes occurred two days after Saturday’s deadly earthquake struck off the island early in the morning, killing at least 53 people, injuring 135 others and causing widespread damage across East Nusa Tenggara.
-- NNN-BERNAMA