JAKARTA, Jan 15 (NNN-ANTARA) – A 6.6-magnitude earthquake jolted off the Banten province of Indonesia yesterday, with strong tremors felt in the capital Jakarta, the country’s meteorology, climatology and geophysics agency said.
The agency earlier released a report on the quake with a magnitude of 6.7, but then, revised it to 6.6. It did not issue any tsunami warning, as the tremors did not potentially trigger giant waves.
The quake took place at 4:05 p.m. Jakarta time (0905 GMT), with the epicentre at 52 km south-west of Sumur sub-district of Pandeglang district, in Banten Province, and a depth of 10 km under the seabed, the agency said.
In Pandeglang district, at least 13 buildings and houses were destroyed, but there was no report of casualty, Head of the Operational Unit of the Provincial Disaster Management Agency, Girgi Jantoro, said.
“So far, 10 houses and three school buildings were damaged, but no report of those injured or killed was issued,” the disaster agency official said via the phone, adding, the tremors triggered panic among residents, making them rush outside.
The tremors were strongly felt in the capital, Jakarta, and triggered panic among residents as well, who rushed outside from high buildings and houses, Acting Spokesman of the National Disaster Management Agency, Abdul Muhari said, in a text message.
Muhari said that so far, no one was reported to be wounded or killed after the powerful quake.
The tremors were also felt in nearby Lampung Province, according to the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency.
Several aftershocks, with the strongest magnitude of 5.7 followed the main shock, according to the agency.– NNN-ANTARA
