91 Killed, Hundreds Injured After 7.0 Magnitude Earthquake Rocks Indonesia

A 7.0 magnitude earthquake in the Indonesian island of Lombok has lead to the death of at least 91 people and injured hundreds, Business Standard has reported. The quake originated from a point about 10 km below the island, which damaged buildings and triggered power cuts.

The impact of the earthquake was also felt in the nearby island of Bali.

This disaster comes about a week after another earthquake measuring 6.4 on the Richter scale had rocked Lombok, which killed 16 people and injured 355 others. The affected island is considered one of the key tourist attractions of Indonesia.

A spokesperson for Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency told that many buildings in Lombok’s main city of Mataram were severely affected as they were believed to have been built using weak construction materials.

The residents described the earthquake as a powerful jolt which led to many fleeing their homes.

In the aftermath, affected residents of Lombok and Bali took the initiative of cleaning up the debris which littered the streets. The airports in the two islands are operational despite minor damages.

Indonesia is prone to frequent earthquakes as it lies in the ‘Ring of Fire’, a region of high volcanic and earthquake activity, which covers almost the entire Pacific Rim.