7.4 Magnitude Earthquake In East Nusa Tenggara Makes Tourists In Labuan Bajo Panic Fleeing From The Hotel

Photo via BMKG

JAKARTA - An earthquake with a magnitude of 7.4 rocked the East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) region last Tuesday, December 14. The earthquake was so strong that tourists who were on vacation in Labuan Bajo scattered out of the hotel.

According to the expert staff of the Governor of NTT for Economics and Development, Marius Ardu Jelamu, the earthquake was felt almost evenly on Flores land. The vibration is about 20 seconds.

He also received information that tourists, both local and foreign in Labuan Bajo, panicked due to the tremors of the earthquake.

"In Labuan Bajo, the hotels are big. So if they run outside the hotel, it means that the vibrations are very strong," Marius told VOI, Tuesday, December 14.

The tourists are running to save themselves from the building. There are also those who run to higher ground.

This earthquake caused BMKG to release a potential tsunami. A moment later, the BMKG released that it had succeeded in detecting tsunami waves in Marapokot as high as 0.07 meters in Reo and Marapokot.

"The Governor of NTT Viktor Laiskodat continues to coordinate with various agencies to ensure the safety of residents," said Marius.

The NTT Provincial Government admitted that it had not received the latest information regarding casualties or damage to buildings. Only he did receive information that a number of houses were cracked due to this vibration.

"The public is asked to remain vigilant and always follow the latest directives from the government. The most important thing is to stay alert, because there were several aftershocks," he said.