Indonesia Hit by Second Major Earthquake in North Sumatra After Deadly Quake in East Nusa Tenggara

A magnitude 6.4 earthquake jolted North Sumatra on Saturday afternoon, shaking the region and sending tremors as far as Aceh. The quake, occurring around 5:57 PM Western Indonesian Time at a depth of 163 kilometers, was centered southeast of Simalungun Regency. Residents in Meulaboh, Aceh Barat, described a moment of panic, with one resident, Sovi, stating she and her children rushed out of their home fearing the shaking.

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We were panicked during the earthquake, my children and I ran out of the house because we were afraid of the shaking.

This seismic event occurred just hours after a devastating magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off the coast of East Nusa Tenggara earlier on Saturday. That earlier quake resulted in significant damage and claimed the lives of at least 38 people.

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From the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), information has been provided that as of 3:00 PM today, 31 aftershocks have occurred.

Following the powerful earthquake in East Nusa Tenggara, the head of Indonesia's National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), Lt. Gen. TNI Suharyanto, reported a series of aftershocks. As of Saturday afternoon, 31 aftershocks had been recorded. Four of these were notably strong, including one with a magnitude of 6.2 at a depth of 10 kilometers, occurring in the sea, similar to the initial quake.

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The first, a significant aftershock with a magnitude of 6.2, occurred at 05:13, almost the same as the first earthquake, at a depth of 10 km and remained in the sea.