The quake hit near Nggongi, Indonesia, which is located hundreds of miles south of Sulawesi, the area that was hit by the 7.5 quake and tsunami on Sept. 28. The city of Palu was hammered by a significant tsunami (as shown in the top video).
The Jakarta Post reported that several earthquakes hit the area on Oct. 2.
“I’ve asked the [BPBD East Sumba] and other relevant institutions to assess the damage in the field. So far, we haven’t received any reports of damaged houses or any other substantial losses,” Mbiliyora said.
Indonesia’s earthquake monitor said the quakes would not cause a tsunami.
Death Toll Rises
According to the BBC, nearly 1,350 people have been confirmed dead in last week’s earthquake and tsunami.“After day two the food supply started to come in, it only needed to be distributed,” deputy national police chief Ari Dono Sukmanto told the BBC. “We are now re-enforcing the law.”
Some videos shot during the earthquake showed the process of liquefaction, which is when loose and wet soil essentially turns into quicksand, causing significant damage. AP reported that hundreds of victims are likely buried in the quicksand-like mud in Palu’s Petobo neighborhood, where the devastating process occurred.
Liquefaction is similar to walking on a wet, sandy beach.
“If you walk across some wet sand a little back from the water’s edge, it is usually firm walking, even though you might leave footprints,” Adam Switzer, an expert at the Earth Observatory of Singapore, told AP of the process.
He added: “However, if you stand still and wiggle your toes and feet, you will probably sink a little as the sand around your feet becomes soft and unstable. This is similar to what happens during liquefaction.”