5.1 strong tectonic quake strikes Bengkulu

Written by Writer on Tuesday, October 14th, 2008

5.1 strong tectonic quake strikes Bengkulu

Bengkulu (ANTARA News) - A tectonic quake measured at 5.1 on the Richter scale shook Bengkulu on Sunday at 22:51:04 West Indonesian Standard Time (WIB).

Coordinator of the Bengkulu Meteorology and Geophysics Agency (BMG) Fahmiza when asked to confirm on Sunday night said the tremor had its epicenter 4.39 degrees southern latitude and 102.42 degrees eastern longitude, and did not have any potential of triggering a tsunami.

Its epicenter lied 68 km southeast of Bengkulu city, Bengkulu province, in a depth of 13 km.

Bengkulu was shocked by a 7.9 Richter scale on September 12, 2007, leaving 15 people dead, 12 seriously and 38 lighly injured.

It also caused damage to 53,172 houses, including 7,360 totaly destroyed, 10,562 seriously, and 35,250 mildly.

Most of the damaged houses were located in North Bengkulu regency totaling 32,885, totally destroyed 1,647, heavily 7,586, and lightly 23,652.

The tremor which struck at 6:10 p.m local time also damaged 292 religious buildings (139 totaly, 38 seriously, and 115 mildly), school buildings ( healthcare institutions, government offices, bridges/roads and irrigation systems; 903 school buildings (260 totaly, 448 seriously, and 195 lightly); 327 healthcare institutions (70 totaly, 128 heavily, and 129 lightly; 412 government offices (48 totaly, 215 seriously, and 149 mildly), 313 bridges and roads (86 totaly, 169 seriously, and 58 lightly); 194 irrigation systems (46 totaly, 100 seriously, and 48 lightly).