People in Indonesia experienced some strong shaking on Sunday as a 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck near the popular tourist island of Lombok, triggering a tsunami warning and killing at least 37 people.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the quake was located at a depth of 10.5 kilometers and struck near the city of Loloan, on the west end of the popular tourist island of Bali.
Indonesia's Tsunami Early Warning System warned of the "potential" for a tsunami, but that warning was later lifted after the risk eased.
Four volunteers with the Indonesia Red Cross were injured and transported to a nearby hospital officials said. Indonesian official, Najmul Akhyar told MetroTV that up to 37 people had been killed, mostly by falling debris in their homes, according to the Associated Press. Getting an accurate casualties count has been slow-going because of an electrical blackout in the area, officials said.
The USGS initially reported the quake as a 7.0-magnitude, but later downgraded it after scientists examined the data. Two aftershocks were also reported including a 4.9-magnitude quake felt near Tanahson Daya and a 5.4-magnitude near Tanjung the USGS said.
Last week on July 29, a 6.4-magnitude quake hit Lombok, killing 17 people. Lombok is known as a popular tourist destination thanks to its pristine beaches and mountains. Building codes do not allow hotels and other structures to exceed the height of the coconut trees that grow on the island.
Indonesia is prone to earthquake activity thanks to its proximity to the Pacific "Ring of Fire," which is an arc of volcanos and fault lines that line the Pacific Basin.
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