Papua [Indonesia], October 16 (ANI): A strong earthquake measuring 6.6 on the Richter scale struck West Papua, Indonesia, on Thursday morning, according to the National Center for Seismology (NCS). The quake occurred at 11:57 am (IST), with its epicentre at latitude 2.26 degrees South and longitude 138.86 degrees East, at a depth of 55 kilometres beneath the surface.
There have been no immediate reports of casualties or damage. Indonesian authorities are closely monitoring the situation, given the region’s high vulnerability to seismic activity. The epicentre was approximately 200 kilometres from Jayapura, the capital of Papua province, The Jakarta Post reported. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center confirmed that no tsunami warning was issued following the earthquake.
Indonesia lies along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” making it prone to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Just last week, Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki volcano in East Nusa Tenggara erupted, spewing a 10-kilometre-high plume of ash illuminated by flashes of lightning, according to Indonesia’s volcanology agency.
The 1,584-metre-high volcano, located on the island of Flores, erupted at 8:48 pm local time (1248 GMT), following a buildup of volcanic gas in recent weeks. Earlier this month, another major eruption from Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki forced the cancellation of several flights to and from the tourist island of Bali.
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