Over 100 Homes Damaged in Sumatra Quake

A magnitude-5.7 earthquake struck off the coast of Sumatra early Friday, damaging more than 100 homes in Indonesia, though no injuries have been reported.

The quake occurred at 2:52 a.m. local time (1952 GMT Thursday), with the epicenter located offshore near Bengkulu province at a depth of 68 kilometres (42.2 miles). Indonesia’s meteorological agency measured the quake at magnitude 6.0 and a depth of 84 kilometres, confirming there was no tsunami threat.

More than 140 homes in Bengkulu city were affected, with eight collapsing beyond repair. Two additional homes in Central Bengkulu district sustained minor damage. At least six public buildings were also reported damaged.

Residents said the tremor jolted them awake. “The windows were rattling hard, and that’s what woke us up,” said Erick Catur Nugroho, 36. “We rushed outside with the children, and most of our neighbours were already out too.”

Indonesia, located along the Pacific Ring of Fire, regularly experiences seismic activity. Recent major earthquakes include a 6.2-magnitude quake in Sulawesi in 2021 that killed over 100 people, and a 7.5-magnitude quake followed by a tsunami in Palu in 2018 that left more than 2,200 dead. The 2004 magnitude-9.1 earthquake off Aceh remains the deadliest, triggering a tsunami that killed over 170,000 people in Indonesia.