5.9 earthquake hits eastern Indonesia
A magnitude 5.9 earthquake hit the eastern Indonesian province of Papua today. This has been reported by the American Geological Institute USGS. No tsunami warning has been issued, and there is currently no damage.
The earthquake occurred at a depth of 12 kilometers, about 180 kilometers from the city of Tual. Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions regularly hit Indonesia. The archipelago is located in the so-called “ring of fire” in the Pacific Ocean.
On July 26, another 6.2 magnitude earthquake struck Sulawesi. In January, a previous earthquake with a magnitude of 6.2 killed more than 100 people.
The Indonesian archipelago is still traumatized by the powerful earthquake off the coast of Sumatra on December 26, 2004. It caused a severe tsunami and claimed the lives of as many as 220,000 people across the region.
About 170,000 people died in Indonesia alone. It was one of the deadliest natural disasters ever.
