Indonesian authorities on Wednesday ruled out the risk of a tsunami following an earthquake measuring 7.1 on the open Richter scale off Sulawesi, an earthquake that occurred minutes after another of magnitude 6.3, according to the Indonesian National Meteorological, Geophysical and Climatological Agency (BMKG).
The agency said through its website that the 7.1 magnitude earthquake had its epicenter in the sea, 141 kilometers southeast of Melonguane, while the hypocenter was located at a depth of 64 kilometers.
Minutes earlier, it had reported a 6.3 magnitude earthquake with epicenter in the same area and confirmed that the tremor had been felt on land, while warning of possible aftershocks. For the moment there are no reports of casualties or material damage.
Several residents have expressed that they have felt fear and have felt dizzy by the earthquake in the area of Gorontalo, in the south of Celebes Island, as reported by the Indonesian state news agency, Antara. Residents have stressed that this tremor has been different, because it has «lasted a long time», while some have felt «shaken and dizzy» and others have left their homes in panic.
On the other hand, the director of the BMKG has stressed that «there is no risk of potential tsunami», while the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, based in the United States, has withdrawn the tsunami warning it issued after the earthquake. «The tsunami threat from this earthquake has ended,» it has stressed on its website.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
