On August 12, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said a 6.3-magnitude earthquake shook the Papua area, eastern Indonesia.
The center of the earthquake was located about 193km northwest of Abepura town, at 5:24 p.m. local time.
The Pacific right wave warning center confirmed that there was no Tsunami threat after the earthquake. No damage or casualties have been reported.
The USGS had previously assessed the earthquake at 6.5 degrees before adjusting it to 6.3 degrees.
Indonesia is a large archipelago country that is regularly hit by earthquakes due to its location on the "Pacific Ring Road" - an area of the bow with strong earthquake activity, stretching from Japan through Southeast Asia to the entire Pacific Ocean, where the tectonic plates collide.
In the past, many serious earthquakes have occurred in Indonesia. In 2021, a 6.2-magnitude earthquake in Sulawesi killed more than 100 people and left thousands homeless. In 2018, Sulawesi continued to experience a 7.5 degree earthquake and Tsunami in Palu, killing more than 2,200 people.
The most serious disaster occurred in 2004, when a 9.1 richter earthquake hit Aceh province, creating a 20-30m high Tsunami sweeping across Banda Aceh, destroying more than 60% of the structures there. In Indonesia alone, more than 170,000 people were killed. A total of about 230,000 people in 11 countries along the Indian Ocean, including Sri Lanka, India and Thailand, have died, and about 2 million people have lost their homes.
Experts continue to warn that the Pacific Ring Road will see more strong earthquakes, requiring Indonesia and neighboring countries to maintain early warning and emergency response capabilities.
