Indonesia Earthquake: 6.8-Magnitude Quake Hits Northern Sumatra Hours After 7.7 Tremor; 47 Killed

indonesia earthquake: 6.8-magnitude quake hits northern sumatra hours after 7.7 tremor, 38 killed

A 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck northern Sumatra in Indonesia on Saturday, hours after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck off eastern Indonesia, killing at least 47 people, according to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ).

The latest quake struck at a depth of 158 km (98 miles), GFZ said.

Earlier in the day, a powerful earthquake of magnitude 7.7 struck Indonesia’s Flores region, according to the country’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), triggering an early tsunami warning for several areas. The US Geological Survey also recorded the earthquake at magnitude 7.7.

The quake was centered at 8.41 degrees south latitude and 121.39 degrees east longitude at a depth of 15 kilometers, according to BMKG. The shallow depth could mean strong shaking in areas close to the epicenter.

First visuals from the affected region showed buildings cracking and sustaining damage as the powerful earthquake rocked Flores. Video footage also appeared to show water receding in some areas.

It was reported that several aftershocks have followed the main earthquake, including tremors measured at magnitudes 6.2, 6.5 and 4.8 in the same area, according to BMKG. Further aftershocks, including magnitude 5.9 and 6.1 earthquakes, were also reported.

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