REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Coordinating Minister of Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Wiranto confirmed that no foreign tourists were killed in the tourism areas of Gili Trawangan, Gili Air, and Gili Meno. Wiranto has been assigned by President Joko Widodo to address the impacts of 7-magnitude earthquake that hit Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, on Sunday (Aug 5).

"The rumors are not true. People were killed, but they were not foreign visitors. They were citizens and local workers," he stated during a visit to the Bangsal harbor in North Lombok, Tuesday.

He affirmed that all tourists, both domestic and international, had been evacuated out of the three islands. No reports had been received of any foreign tourists being killed.

Foreign tourists were evacuated via Bangsal Seaport, North Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), Monday (Aug 6). At least 7,000 foreign tourists and local citizens were evacuated from Gili Trawangan, Gili Air and Gili Meno to anticipate aftershocks.

"Of course, there were several people there, but as a matter of fact, the people, who were killed, were those who actually worked there," he clarified.

Meanwhile, the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) noted that 230 aftershocks were recorded after the magnitude-7.0 earthquake hit Lombok Island and its surroundings on Sunday (Aug 5). BMKG's Public Relations Section Chief Hary Tjatmiko stated that of the 230 aftershocks that occurred until Tuesday, at 7 a.m. local time, the earthquake was prominently felt 16 times.

Aftershocks measuring 5.5 in magnitude were recorded at 1:21 WIB in the Sumbawa region, with the epicenter located at 8.18 degrees South Latitude and 116.29 degrees East Longitude, at a depth of 10 kilometers.

Small-intensity earthquakes also continued to occur afterwards. Nine aftershocks were recorded from 4 to 6 WITA.

The BMKG estimates that aftershocks will continue to occur for the next few weeks. The Magnitude-7.0 earthquake that struck the islands of Lombok and Sumbawa was also felt in Bali and East Java.

According to the BMKG, the quake was deemed as being the main earthquake of the series of earthquakes that struck Lombok before, such as on July 29, 2018, which had also damaged property and caused casualties, when viewed from the relatively similar epicenter.

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