JAKARTA: About 200 people evacuated to higher ground after an earthquake of magnitude 6.1 struck islands in western Indonesia, causing some property damage, country’s disaster mitigation agency BNPB said. Quake in the Mentawai Islands west of Sumatra struck at a depth of 27 km and was followed by one of magnitude 5.3 in same area, authorities said. There was no danger of tsunami.

One person was injured in head by falling wood and a school and health centre were among properties slightly damaged, disaster agency said. Mentawai resident Nurjuli Hasanah told Reuters quake felt strong and shook her wooden house. “Some of (residents) are still in an evacuation shelter and some have gone back home,” she said. Also on Sunday, east of vast Indonesian archipelago, an earthquake of magnitude 7.6 struck Eastern New Guinea region in Papua New Guinea, reportedly damaging property and spreading panic among residents.–Agencies

Published in The Daily National Courier, September, 12 2022

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