Selayar Residents Flee to Hills to Avoid Tsunami Risk After NTT Earthquake

Residents of the Selayar Islands in South Sulawesi were also reported to have panicked when tremors and a tsunami early warning were triggered by a magnitude 7.7 earthquake in East Nusa Tenggara on Saturday morning (15/8).

Head of the Selayar Regional Disaster Management Agency, Ahmad Aliefyanto, said the Selayar Islands Regency was only affected by vibrations when the main NTT earthquake struck this morning. He said the situation is now relatively calm.

“The situation is currently relatively safe. Only vibrations were felt, and that was just once this morning,” Alief told CNNIndonesia.com.

However, residents on the outer islands, Alief said, experienced panic and rushed to evacuate after feeling the earthquake tremors. He said residents then moved to higher ground, such as hills or mountains, to avoid the perceived danger of a tsunami.

“Yes, but because our communities on the outer islands, poor things, are traumatised by that sort of thing. So they all panicked and ran up the mountains to evacuate, even though there was no order to do so. The procedure is only to leave the house first,” he explained.

Nevertheless, Alief confirmed that the situation in the Selayar Islands Regency is safe.

“Yes, it is still relatively safe for us in Selayar,” he said.

Separately, when contacted by CNNIndonesia.com, Selayar KPU Commissioner Muhammad Arsat confirmed the tremors felt as a result of the NTT earthquake this morning. He admitted that the strong shaking was enough to cause panic among residents in the surrounding area.

“Yes, it was frightening this morning,” Arsat told CNNIndonesia.com.

However, he confirmed that no buildings were damaged in his area despite the strong tremors from the NTT earthquake.

“In Benteng Selayar town alone it was very strong, but there were no damaged buildings,” he explained.

Previously, the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency’s Geophysics Station reported that as of 10.00 WITA, the number of aftershocks following the magnitude 7.7 earthquake in Nagekeo Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, had reached 111.

“The latest information as of 10.00 WITA is that a total of 111 aftershocks have occurred,” said Head of the BMKG Kupang Geophysics Station Arief Tystama in Kupang on Saturday morning, as quoted from Antara.

He made the statement during a press conference in Kupang with the regional government and other relevant agencies at the NTT Regional Police Headquarters in Kupang.

He said that although there had been 111 aftershocks as of 10.00 WITA, seismic activity was still ongoing, with the latest magnitude recorded at 3.8.

Although the earthquake magnitudes have begun to decrease, he urged communities in Flores to remain vigilant, as aftershocks are still occurring. Meanwhile, regarding the tsunami early warning, he said it has now been lifted.

Previously, BMKG issued a level two tsunami potential status for several coastal areas in NTT after the magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck Mbay Village, Nagekeo Regency, on Saturday at 05.58 WITA local time.

The earthquake’s epicentre was located at coordinates 8.41 degrees south latitude and 121.39 degrees east longitude, approximately 30 kilometres offshore from Mbay-Nagekeo at a depth of 15 kilometres.

As of 07.03 WITA, BMKG issued a level two tsunami early warning covering NTT, South Sulawesi, West Nusa Tenggara and Southeast Sulawesi.

In NTT, areas on alert status include northern Manggarai, northern Ngada, northern West Manggarai, northern Ende and northern Sikka.

Meanwhile, areas in South Sulawesi on alert status are Selayar, Jeneponto and Bantaeng.