On Friday, a magnitude-6.4 earthquake struck offshore near Java island in Indonesia, according to the United States Geological Survey. The tremor was felt in the capital, Jakarta, and prompted residents in another city to evacuate their homes.
The earthquake, with a depth of around eight kilometers (five miles), occurred off the northern coast of Java island near Bawean island at approximately 3:52 pm local time (0852 GMT). There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries, and local authorities did not issue a tsunami warning. The earthquake was felt more intensely in East Java Province, including the major city of Surabaya.
Indonesia, as a vast archipelago nation, frequently experiences earthquakes due to its location on the Pacific “Ring of Fire.” This ring constitutes an arc of heightened seismic activity where tectonic plates collide, extending from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.
In January 2021, a magnitude-6.2 earthquake struck Sulawesi island, resulting in the death of over 100 people and leaving thousands homeless.
