United Kingdom
United States
Asia Pacific
Powerful earthquake strikes Indonesian holiday island of Lombok
A strong earthquake struck the tourist island of Lombok killing at least 14 people including one Malaysian tourist.
The 6.4 magnitude quake hit close to the popular Mount Rinjani trekking area damaging many buildings.
At least 160 were injured due to falling debris.
A number of tourists, including US and EU citizens are trapped on a volcano after the earthquake caused landslides, blocking hiking trails.
The earthquake caused the closure of the Rinjani National Park due to ‘an indication of landslide around the mountain’, said Indonesia disaster mitigation agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho.
"The main focus now is evacuation and rescue,’ Nugroho said.
Malaysian Siti Nur Ismawida was killed when a restroom she was in at the foot of Mount Rinjani collapsed.
Several more Malaysians were among the injured, according to the Malaysian foreign ministry.
Many climbers were on the mountain camping near the crater lake at the time and two Spanish climbers were slightly hurt due to falling rocks.
The quake struck early Sunday as most people were still sleeping and was only seven km deep which intensified its strength.
It was followed by dozens of aftershocks for the next few hours.
Tremors were felt in the main city of Mataram, a two-hour drive away and as far as neighbouring Bali, nearly 100km away.
The epicentre was on land so did not spark fears of a tsunami.
Indonesia is no stranger to seismic disasters as it sits on the ‘ring of fire’ and quakes and volcanic eruptions are common.
Another quake struck just a day earlier on the island of Flores, a few hundred kilometres further east.
The 3,700-metre high Mount Rinjani is still a very active volcanic peak.
Related News Stories:
TravelMole Editorial Team
Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
Bubba O’Keefe on Clarksdale’s Vibrant Music Scene
Commemorating Elvis and Embracing Tupelo’s Culture with Jennie Bradford Curlee
Craig Ray and the Expansion of the Blues Trail
Presenting Mississippi’s Cultural Trails with Katie Coats
Robert Terrell: A Journey Through BB King’s Influence
Rochelle Hicks: Celebrating Mississippi’s Musical Legacy
Exploring Jacksonville with Katie Mitura: The Flip Side of Florida
Tricia Handley-Hughes of Inteletravel announces the location for the TravelQuest 2025 conference
Insights from James Ferrara on Inteletravel’s Growth and Future
Tricia Handley-Hughes on Inteletravel’s Growth and Challenges
Tony from Gatto’s Pizza on Columbus’s Unique Pizza Trail
Sophia Hyder Hock on Global Social Inclusion in Tourism
Dozens fall ill in P&O Cruises ship outbreak
Woman dies after getting ‘entangled’ in baggage carousel
Turkish Airlines flight in emergency landing after pilot dies
Boy falls to death on cruise ship
Protestors now targeting Amsterdam cruise calls