A strong earthquake measuring 6.6 on the Richter scale struck the Simulu Island, located northwest of Indonesia’s Sumatra Island, on Thursday morning, November 27, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Despite the intensity of the tremor, local authorities confirmed that the risk of a tsunami remains negligible.
Preliminary reports indicated that the earthquake occurred at 11:56 local time, at a depth of 25 kilometers, and was felt strongly by residents, many of whom quickly evacuated buildings and homes.
Agence France-Presse reported an eyewitness named Ahmad saying, “I was sitting in a café when the table suddenly started shaking… many people ran outside.” He added that the tremor lasted about seven seconds and was followed by weaker aftershocks.
After the earthquake, the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning Center announced there was no threat of large waves, a claim also confirmed by Indonesia’s meteorological agency, BMKG, which estimated the earthquake’s magnitude at 6.3 and its depth at 10 kilometers, stating it “lacks the ability to generate a tsunami.”
Indonesia lies at the junction of several tectonic plates within the Pacific Ring of Fire, making it one of the most seismically active regions in the world. The country experienced a 6.2 magnitude earthquake on Sulawesi Island in January 2021, which resulted in over 100 deaths and displaced thousands.
As of now, no significant material damage or human casualties have been reported from today’s earthquake, while authorities continue to monitor the situation in anticipation of potential new aftershocks.
