Indonesia lifted a tsunami warning Tuesday after a 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck off Flores Island, triggering panic in the region.
JAKARTA, Indonesia — Indonesia lifted a tsunami alert Tuesday following a magnitude 7.3 undersea earthquake that struck off Flores Island, triggering panic in a region prone to fatal quakes but apparently causing no major damage or casualties. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the quake hit at a depth of 18.5 kilometers (11.5 miles) under the sea, and was located 112 kilometers (74 miles) north of the town of Maumere, the second-largest on the island in East Nusa Tenggara province with a population of 85,000. After an initial tsunami alert, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii and later Indonesia’s meteorological agency lifted the warning hours after the quake. National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesperson Abdul Muhari said residents in East Flores district felt the earthquake strongly.
