Asia

Eastern Indonesia Hit by 5.9-Magnitude Earthquake - US Geological Survey

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - A 5.9-magnitude earthquake struck the east of Indonesia late on Monday, United States Geological Survey (USGS) said on Tuesday.
Sputnik

The earthquake was registered at 11:59 p.m. local time (23:59 GMT), with the tremor's epicenter laying at the depth of 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) near the island of Sumba.

Death Toll From Indonesian Earthquake, Tsunami Exceeds 1,200 People - Reports
The information about casualties or destruction caused by the tremor has not been received so far.

On Friday, a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake hit the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. The tremor was followed by two 5.8-magnitude quakes. Additionally, a 2-meter-high (6.5-feet-high) tsunami struck the city of Palu and the Donggala area in Central Sulawesi after the tremors. According to the latest media reports, the number of natural disaster's victims in Indonesia exceeded 1,200.

READ MORE: Over 1,200 Criminals Escape Indonesian Prisons Following Devastating Tsunami

Indonesia is a part of the so-called Ring of Fire, an area in the Pacific Ocean where the most active tectonic plates are situated. About 7,000 earthquakes with a magnitude of over 4.0 are being registered in the area by seismic experts annually.

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