Two Earthquakes at Sumbawa Besar
Monday, 10 March, 2008 | 14:28 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Mataram:There were two earthquakes this morning (10/3) within one hour in the city of Sumbawa Besar and the surrounding area.

The earthquakes, which measured 5 on the Richter scale, shocked the inhabitants.

Although there was no damage, people panicked and ran away from their homes.

The Jakarta Meteorology and Geophysics Agency (BMG) stated that the first earthquake happened at 08:28:52 WITA (Indonesian Central Time), measuring 5.3 on the Richter scale.

It was located at 8.14 South Latitude and 117.16 East Longitude, or 49 kilometers to the northwest of Sumbawa, and at a depth of 46 kilometers.

The second earthquake happened at 09:27:39 WITA and measured 5.1 on the Richter scale.

It was located at 8.91 South Latitude and 117.37 East Longitude, or 45 kilometers to the southwest of Sumbawa, and at a depth of 24 kilometers.

According to Khairuddin, a resident of Pekat village in Sumbawa Besar, he and his family were shocked.

“I thanked God that they did not last long, only few seconds”, he said.

Moeis Damhoedji, a resident of Brang Bara village, also felt the earthquake and has been anticipating another.
“Yes, (we) are ready for another earthquake, an even bigger one”, he said.

Supriyantho Khafid