Lombok island rocked by more earth tremors

MATARAM: A fresh tremor of 6.3magnitude struck the Indonesian holiday island of Lombok, the US Geological Survey said yesterday, after an earthquake killed more than 430 people there earlier this month.

USGS estimated the depth of the latest tremor at 7.9km and said the epicentre was on the northeastern shoulder of the island at the foot of Mount Rinjani. There was no tsunami warning, and authorities were still awaiting word on casualties.

Lombok, which lies just east of Bali, the south-east Asian country’s most famous tourist destination, has been rocked by a series of quakes and aftershocks since July 29, including a 6.9-magnitude tremor on August 5.

The latest tremor sent shudders through residents. Disaster mitigation agency spokesperson Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said there were no reports so far of casualties or damage. – Reuters