An earthquake of magnitude 5.3 jolted southwest of Southeast Maluku District in Maluku Province on Sunday morning, according to the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG).
No tsunami warning was issued following the quake that struck the area at around 05:39 a.m. local time, the agency reported.
The quake's epicenter was located about 228 km away from southwest of Southeast Maluku District at a depth of 90 km.
Despite the absence of the tsunami warning, the agency urged residents to stay on alert for aftershocks.
Earthquakes regularly rock various parts of Indonesia since the country lies on the Circum-Pacific Belt, also known as the Ring of Fire, where several tectonic plates meet and cause frequent volcanic and seismic activities.
Previously, the latest deadly earthquake struck Cianjur District, West Java Province on November 21, 2022.
Related news: Death toll from Cianjur quake rises to 318
The 5.6-magnitude earthquake that jolted Cianjur at 1:21 p.m. local time killed at least 318 people and wounded 7,729 others, according to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB).
The quake, whose epicenter was located about 10 km away from Cianjur, at a depth of 10 km, also damaged 2,345 houses and forced 73,693 residents to take refuge.
Despite the absence of a tsunami, the quake's tremors were not only felt by residents in disaster zones but also by those in the areas of Jakarta, Bogor, and Bekasi, according to BMKG.
BNPB noted that some 595 of 7,729 residents sustaining injuries suffer serious injuries.
Some 108 of the 595 seriously wounded victims were treated at hospitals, the agency said adding that as of Saturday, the death toll from the earthquake had climbed to 318 following the discovery of another eight bodies.
BNPB's Deputy III Major General Fajar Setyawan said in a recent statement that residents suffering minor injuries were allowed to return home.
The deadly earthquake also forced 73,693 residents to take refuge after their houses got collapsed or were damaged by the quake.
Related news: East Asia intergov't congress collects Rp1.5 bln for Cianjur victims
Editor : Mahdani
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