Jakarta (ANTARA) - An earthquake with magnitude 5.3 struck Malang District, East Java, on Tuesday at 2:42 a.m. local time though no immediate reports were received of damages or casualties.
The quake's epicenter was located at sea, about 127 kilometers away from southeast of Malang District at a depth of 10 km, according to the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG).
The agency urged local residents to stay alert over aftershocks that may possibly occur but avoid rumors and earthquake misinformation.
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.
Various parts of Java Island are known as earthquake-prone areas in the country.
On Saturday, April 27, 2024, an earthquake, with magnitude 6.2, rattled Garut District, West Java, damaging 459 houses as well as 54 infrastructure and public facilities, including schools and hospitals.
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The powerful quake not only damaged buildings in 101 villages of 29 sub-districts but also injured six residents.
On Wednesday, January 3, 2024, a 5.9-magnitude earthquake jolted West Java's southern region.
According to Head of the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency's Earthquake and Tsunami Center, Daryono, the quake was triggered by a rock deformation in the Indo-Australian tectonic plate.
Given its epicenter and hypocenter, the quake struck at a moderate depth and was the result of rock deformation in the Indo-Australian tectonic plate that subducted beneath the Eurasian plate, Daryono explained.
The magnitude of the quake, which occurred at 7:53 a.m. local time, was later updated to 5.7.
On November 21, 2022, at 1:21 p.m. local time, Cianjur District was jolted by a 5.6-magnitude earthquake, causing severe damage to 8,151 houses and moderate damage to 11,210 others.
A total of 18,469 houses incurred mild damage. The earthquake also caused severe damage to 525 school buildings, 269 houses of worship, 14 healthcare facilities, and 17 office buildings, according to the Cianjur district government.
Indonesia experienced the deadliest ever earthquake, followed by tsunami, in Aceh Province on December 26, 2004.
The catastrophe that also affected certain coastal areas in countries, such as Thailand, Sri Lanka, and India, reportedly killed some 230 thousand people.
