7.1-magnitude earthquake strikes Indonesia’s Banda Sea

A powerful earthquake measuring 7.1 on the Richter scale rocked the Banda Sea in Indonesia on Wednesday, as reported by the United States Geological Survey (USGS). Fortunately, there have been no immediate reports of damage or casualties resulting from the seismic event.

Although initially reported as a magnitude 6.9 quake, no tsunami warning was issued for this earthquake, which occurred at 11:53 am local time or 0453 GMT, according to the USGS.

The impact of this tremor was felt moderately in the town of Saumlaki, situated in the Tanimbar Islands of the Indonesian archipelago. The Indonesian Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysical Agency (BMKG) confirmed these details.

A Saumlaki resident, Lambert Tatang, shared his experience, noting that the earthquake was quite intense. However, he emphasized that the local population did not panic, as they have grown accustomed to experiencing earthquakes in the region. Tatang added that their calmness was further assured by the information that there was no tsunami threat associated with this particular seismic event.

Indonesia is a region that frequently witnesses earthquakes due to its geographical location on the Pacific “Ring of Fire.” This area is characterized by an arc of intense seismic activity, extending from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.

Recent history has seen Indonesia affected by significant seismic events. In November of the previous year, a powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 5.6 struck the heavily populated West Java province, situated on the country’s main island of Java, resulting in the tragic loss of 602 lives.

One of the most devastating natural disasters to have impacted the region occurred in 2004 when a massive earthquake, measuring 9.1 on the Richter scale, struck the coast of Sumatra. This event triggered a catastrophic tsunami that claimed the lives of approximately 220,000 people throughout the affected region, with Indonesia bearing a significant portion of the casualties, accounting for around 170,000 lives lost.