BMKG Indonesia reported that there were quite a lot of aftershocks after the main earthquake occurred in Tanimbar. The main earthquake had a magnitude of 7.2 and caused 23 aftershocks. The main earthquake lasted approximately 3 minutes. The aftershocks started from 11.52 WIB to 20.50 WIB. The public is asked to be alert for safety.
Dangerous Aftershocks in Tanimbar
The aftershocks that accompanied the main earthquake were quite large, with some reaching magnitude 6.8. A fairly large aftershock occurred on Wednesday, November 8, 2023. The epicenter of the earthquake was at coordinates of 6.21 degrees south latitude and 129.98 degrees east longitude. Meanwhile, the location of the earthquake was at sea in a direction 244 km northwest of Tanimbar. The depth of the earthquake reached 40 km.
Other areas that also felt the earthquake were Saumlaki and Banda. This large aftershock did not have the potential to cause a tsunami. The public does not need to panic in response to the aftershocks. Don’t easily believe it if there are hoax issues, so make sure to keep updating from BMKG.
BMKG is carrying out further monitoring of the impact of the earthquake. Meanwhile, the aftershock with a magnitude of 5.6 was centered at 6.15 degrees South Latitude and 129.96 degrees East Longitude. The epicenter of this aftershock is 255 km northwest of Tanimbar. The depth is 45 km. There are reports that this aftershock caused a minor tsunami. The minor tsunami had a height of 39 cm in Damar and 8 cm in Banda. Residents living in the Southwest Maluku region chose not to evacuate themselves. Every time an aftershock occurs, they just leave the house and look for an open place. Aftershocks themselves still occur frequently and last for several minutes.
No residents have reported any property damage. There were no reports of casualties or injuries to residents as a result of this earthquake. If there are residents whose houses are affected by the earthquake, the government will cover the costs. Coverage also applies to infrastructure damaged by the earthquake. However, BMKG again warned residents to be careful when facing other aftershocks, especially residents who live in coastal areas.