Earthquake rattles two regencies in Bali<\/p>\n
Wahyoe Boediwardhana, The Jakarta Post, Bali<\/p>\n
Bali was jolted by a magnitude 5.0 Richter scale tectonic
\nearthquake on Tuesday, with residents in Amlapura, Karangasem
\nregency and parts of Klungkung regency saying the rumbling went
\non for about three minutes.<\/p>\n
According to an official at the Denpasar Meteorology and
\nGeophysics Agency (BMG), Nyoman Sulastra, \"the epicenter of the
\nquake was located about 40 kilometers northeast of Amlapura\".<\/p>\n
The epicenter was reportedly located in the Lombok strait,
\nabout 16 km undersea. Residents in the two areas claimed they had
\nfelt the tremors four times.<\/p>\n
The intensity of the series of aftershocks recorded by the
\nseismograph varied between 2 to 3 magnitude on the Richter Scale.<\/p>\n
\"No casualties or material losses were reported, but people
\nwere overcome by panic. At the Karangasem police station, for
\ninstance, people were seen fleeing from building,\" said Bali
\npolice spokesman Sr. Comr. A.S. Reniban.<\/p>\n
The quake was not noticed in the capital, Denpasar, which is
\nabout 40 km from Klungkung.<\/p>\n
Some local residents said they feared that Mount Agung could
\nerupt, but according to the BMG, the tremors that were felt for
\nseveral minutes were due to the movement of the Indo-Australia
\ntectonic plates depressing the Euro-Asia plate, and so did not
\naffect Mount Agung.<\/p>\n
The plate which runs parallel to the western coast of Sumatra,
\nand continues down along the western edge of the Indonesian
\narchipelago, is said to be shifting each day in varying degrees,
\nbut is classified as \"very inert\" as the movement is about seven
\nto 12 millimeters annually.<\/p>\n
\"The tectonic plate movement means the southern part of Java,
\nBali, West Nusa Tenggara and East Nusa Tenggara will remain prone
\nto earthquakes,\" said Sulastra.<\/p>\n
The BMG's seismograph located in Kuta, records six to 10
\ntremors per day, generally below magnitude 4, with a depth of
\nmore than 80 km under the sea.<\/p>\n
Due to the depth of the epicenter, only weak vibrations were
\nfelt on the surface usually.<\/p>\n
Karangasem regency was previously hit by a 6.1-magnitude quake
\nin January, 2004, destroying over 4,000 homes.<\/p>\n
\"We have determined that the area is an active fault area
\nwhere a displacement can occur anytime,\" said Sulastra.<\/p>\n
He declined to predict the other areas where earthquakes might
\noccur due to the agency's lack of ability, and
\nonly said that the area had been established as an active fault
\narea.<\/p>",
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