Tag: Indonesia

UPDATED: 7.3-magnitude quake strikes Indonesia, tsunami ‘possible’

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AFP) — A 7.3-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Indonesia on Tuesday, the US Geological Survey said, as monitors warned of the possibility of hazardous tsunami waves. The USGS said the quake struck around 100 kilometres north of the town of Maumere at a depth of 18.5 kilometres (11 miles) in the Flores Sea at 0320 GMT. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said “hazardous waves are possible for coasts located within 1,000 km (600 miles) […]

Blinken urges China to stop ‘aggressive actions’ in Indo-Pacific

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AFP) — US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday urged China to cease “aggressive actions” in the Indo-Pacific, speaking during a visit to the region, as Washington seeks to bolster alliances against Beijing’s rising might. In a speech in Indonesia, Blinken said Washington would work with allies and partners to “defend the rules-based order” and countries should have the right to “choose their own path”. “That’s why there is so much concern […]

Virus turns Indonesia holiday island into desert of abandoned resorts

by Haeril HALIM Indonesia (AFP) — Chef Ilhani used to serve up Japanese cuisine to holidaymakers every night, now he makes just $3 a day selling fried snacks on the near empty streets of once bustling Gili Trawangan. The coronavirus pandemic has shuttered almost all the resorts and restaurants across Indonesia’s Gili Islands, famed for their turquoise waters, sandy beaches, and diverse marine life. Situated close to Bali, tourism and the local economy had been […]

Indonesia volcano eruption death toll rises to 34

  by Haeril Halim Agence France Presse CURAH KOBOKAN, Indonesia (AFP) — The death toll from the eruption of Indonesia’s Mount Semeru volcano rose to 34 on Tuesday, the national disaster agency said, as aid was rushed to the affected region. The mountain on the island of Java had thundered to life on Saturday, ejecting volcanic ash high into the sky and raining hot mud on villages as thousands of panicked people fled their homes. […]

Indonesia volcano erupts again, rescue operations suspended

by Haeril Halim LUMAJANG, Indonesia (AFP) — Indonesia’s Mount Semeru spewed more ash on Monday, forcing rescuers to suspend the search for survivors as aerial images showed the extent of the devastation unleashed by the volcano’s deadly weekend eruption. The biggest mountain on the island of Java thundered to life Saturday, ejecting a mushroom of volcanic ash high into the sky and raining hot mud as thousands of panicked people fled their homes. At least […]

Indonesia volcano death toll rises to 13

  by Juni Kriswanto Agence France Presse LUMAJANG, Indonesia (AFP) — The death toll from a sudden, spectacular eruption of Indonesia’s Mount Semeru has risen to 13, disaster officials said Sunday, as rescuers searched villages blanketed in molten ash for survivors. The eruption of Java’s biggest mountain caught locals by surprise on Saturday, sending thousands fleeing its path of destruction and forcing hundreds of families into makeshift shelters. It left at least 11 villages of […]

Thousands flee as Indonesia’s Mount Semeru erupts

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AFP) — Indonesia’s Mount Semeru erupted on Saturday, spewing out a tower of smoke and ash that plunged local communities into darkness and forced thousands of nearby residents to flee. There were no immediate reports of casualties, the country’s disaster mitigation agency said. But rescuers moved to evacuate local residents as lava reached nearby villages and destroyed a bridge in Lumajang regency in East Java. “A number of areas went dark after being […]

Russia, ASEAN hold first naval drills off Indonesian coast

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AFP) — Russia and a number of Southeast Asian countries kicked off their first ever joint naval exercise along the Strait of Malacca, one of the world’s most important shipping lanes, on Wednesday, Indonesia’s navy said. The drills come at a time of growing tensions in the Pacific, particularly around the South China Sea, which Beijing claims almost in its entirety. All ten members of ASEAN, Southeast Asia’s regional bloc, participated in Wednesday’s […]

Sumatran baby elephant dies after trunk snared in poacher trap

BANDA ACEH, Indonesia (AFP) – A critically endangered Sumatran baby elephant has died after losing half of its trunk in a poacher’s trap, Indonesian conservation officials said. The one-year-old calf succumbed to a severe infection, two days after it was found by villagers in Aceh Jaya and despite subsequent efforts to save its life by amputating the rest of its injured trunk. “We couldn’t save it because the injury was severe and infected,” Agus Arianto, head […]

Indonesia seizes land owned by Suharto son’s company

  JAKARTA, Indonesia (AFP) — Indonesia has seized land tied to an automaker owned by the son of its late dictator Suharto in a fresh bid to recoup money from the influential clan, the government said Friday. Military troops and police in West Java province on Friday took control of some 124 hectares (300 acres) of land controlled by Tommy Suharto and his PT Timor Putera Nasional company over some 2.6 trillion rupiah ($181 million) […]

5.9 magnitude quake strikes off Indonesia’s Sumatra: USGS

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AFP) — A 5.9 magnitude quake struck off the coast of Indonesia’s Sumatra island Monday, the United States Geological Survey said, but there was no tsunami warning or immediate reports of damage. The offshore quake hit at a shallow depth of six kilometres (3.7 miles), about 255 kilometres south of the town of Sinabang. Shallow quakes tend to do more damage than deep tremors. Indonesia experiences frequent quakes due to its position on […]

4.8 magnitude Bali quake in photos

Photos of the magnitude 4.8 quake that struck Bali, Indonesia on Saturday, October 16, 2021. The quake killed at least three people and injured seven.  Disaster officials said the quake death toll is not expected to rise. “The quake was felt strongly for five seconds,” said disaster agency spokesman Abdul Muhari. “People were panicking and ran from their houses when the quake hit.” The tremor’s epicentre was far from the main tourist hub in Bali, […]