Malaysian woman killed in Lombok quake was on climbing mission

JAKARTA: A Malaysian woman who was killed in an earthquake in West Nusa Tenggara was reportedly on a climbing mission to Mount Rinjani, an active volcano in East Lombok.

The victim identified as 30-year- old Siti Nur Ismawida, was with 17 other Malaysians during the programme to scale the mountain.

East Lombok Police chief M Eka Fahurrahman said the victim died when the walls of a building collapsed on her.

“A total of 18 Malaysians are on the mission to climb Mount Rinjani, six are injured while the others are safe,” he said.

Full details pertaining to the victim and the group of climbers from Malaysia are still scarce at the moment.

The victim’s body was reportedly placed at the Sembalun Clinic in Lombok.

Malaysia’s Deputy Ambassador to Indonesia Zamshari Shaharan said the embassy was seeking more information on the incident.

Details on the identity of the victim and other information have not as yet been obtained, he told Bernama, adding that there were 150 Malaysian students in Lombok. They were reported to be safe.

The volcanic Mount Rinjani on Lombok Island, West Nusa Tenggara is a popular destination for tourists and mountain climbers. The second highest mountain in Indonesia with an altitude of 3,726 metres, it is part of the 41,330-hectare Gunung Rinjani National Park which is popular due to its natural beauty.

According to a statement issued by the Indonesian Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), the earthquake occurred at 5.47am and centred 28 km northeast of Lombok with a depth of about 10 km.

According to the BMKG report, there were 31 after shocks following the first quake until 7.39am yesterday. The after shocks of the earthquake measured below 5 on the Richter Scale. — Bernama

A total of 18 Malaysians are on the mission to climb Mount Rinjani, six are injured while the others are safe.