Earthquake Triggers Panic In Bali And W Nusa Tenggara

W Lombok, March 22 (Antara)- An earthquake measuring 6.4 on the Richter Scale hit Bali and West Nusa Tenggara Provinces, creating panic among local residents on Wednesday at 7:10 a.m. local time. "We were shocked because the quake was quite strong, so we rushed out of our home," Hasan, an inhabitant of Gerung, West Lombok, said. The quake's epicener was located at 8.88 degrees southern latitude and 115.24 degrees eastern longitude, and at a depth of 117 km, according to data of the Mataram meteorological and geophysics office. In Kuta, Gianyar, Denpasar, Mataram and western Sumbawa, the tremor was felt at III-IV MMI (Modified Mercalli Intensity). Muhammad Rum, head of the West Nusa Tenggara disaster mitigation office, said the earthquake did not trigger tsunami. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage due to the quake.