A powerful earthquake measuring over 6 on the Richter scale caused minor damage to homes and buildings in southeastern Indonesia early Thursday, resulting in some panic, but no significant injuries were reported. Controversial Dutch seismologist Frank Hoogerbeets had predicted an "interesting" week and warned of the possibility of seismic activity exceeding 6 degrees due to intriguing planetary alignments that could affect the Earth's crust. He added on his X account, "We must wait and see how the Earth responds. This is a very interesting week. Stay extra alert."
Daryono, who heads the earthquake and tsunami center at Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysical Agency, stated that residents felt the earthquake strongly in many cities and villages, causing panic among some. The earthquake originated on land, and there was no tsunami risk. Daryono, who uses a single name, wrote on the social media platform X: "The earthquake caused minor damage in several buildings and homes." A video shared on social media showed residents of Kupang, the provincial capital and largest city, reacting to swaying homes and buildings shortly after dawn. Some witnesses reported that the roofs of the governor's and mayor's offices were damaged.
Again, be on watch for larger earthquakes in the next few days. — Frank Hoogerbeets (@hogrbe) October 30, 2023. The US Geological Survey measured the earthquake's magnitude at 6.1 and reported that it occurred at a depth of 36 kilometers (22 miles) below the surface. The earthquake's epicenter was located 21 kilometers northeast of Kupang on the western side of Timor Island. The Indonesian agency recorded the earthquake's magnitude at 6.3. Variations in early earthquake measurements are common. Indonesia is an earthquake-prone archipelago with a population of 270 million, where earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tsunami waves occur frequently.
