DestinationsFatalities, injuries and property damage follow 6.4-magnitude quake.

Lombok quake latest: Island faces big clean-up

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Lombok authorities face a major clean-up of damage caused by 6.4-magnitude earthquake.
Lombok authorities face a major clean-up of damage caused by 6.4-magnitude earthquake. Photo Credit: Sutopo Purwo Nugroho

The 6.4-magnitude quake badly damaged property, leaving streets littered with rubble.

Lombok is continuing to clean-up after a powerful earthquake struck the island on Sunday, killing at least 14 people.

The 6.4-magnitude quake badly damaged property, leaving streets littered with rubble.

More than 160 people were injured and thousands of homes are damaged, officials say.

A 30-year-old female Malaysian tourist who was on a hiking trip to Mount Rinjani is among those killed. Two groups of Malaysian tourists were climbing Mount Rinjani at the time of the earthquake. Six suffered serious injuries

Indonesian authorities are also rescuing 200 Thais, stranded at Mount Rinjani National Park.  Thanapon Worawutchainan, a 25-year-old Thai tourist who was at the summit during the quake, said the ground shook violently and people decided to lie down and wait for the tremor to stop. 

"We were so terrified; we gathered under the tree to pray," said Anuwat Kongko, another Thai tourist who was also at the summit during the quake. 

The US Geological Survey said the epicentre of the earthquake was 50km North-east of the city of Mataram, in northern Lombok.

Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, a spokesman for the country's disaster agency, said that most casualties occurred when victims were hit by debris and falling blocks of concrete.

"The main focus now is evacuation and rescue. Some of the injured are still being treated at clinics," he told the BBC.

The Bali Hotels Association was quick to issue a statement, confirming that the quake had no impact on Bali and is “still 100% safe for travel”.

Further, BHA said the quake did not trigger a tsunami warning and was unrelated to the recent volcanic activity on Bali’s Mt Agung, which disrupted flights in and out of Denpasar Airport.

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