Quake rocks Ambon

 An earthquake of magnitude 5.1 rocked the Maluku provincial capital of Ambon Tuesday evening, prompting many residents to rush outdoors to protect themselves. "The tremor was a shallow one caused by the activities of active faults," the Chief of the Earthquake and Tsunami Mitigation Section of the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), Daryono said Tuesday.

The earthquake, which struck at 05.10 WIB (West Indonesia Standard Time), was felt in Ambon and Karatu at the intensity scale of IV on the Modified Merchali Intensity (MMI), he said.

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The epicenter was located 29 kilometers northeast of Ambon at a depth of 10 kilometers. It did not have the potential to cause a tsunami, Daryono affirmed.

Many Ambon residents rushed outdoors due to the strong earthquake. he added.

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The analysis of the source mechanism shows the tremor had a strike-slip.

However, no fatalities or injuries were reported.

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The earthquake is related to a series of tremors that have been jolting Ambon since September 26, 2019, Daryono stated.

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Maluku bore the brunt of a powerful earthquake of magnitude 6.5 that claimed the lives of more than 30 people and injured tens of others on September 26, 2019.