7.0 magnitude quake hits Indonesia's Lombok island; officials lift tsunami warning, say airports operating normally

A week after an earthquake killed 17 people on Indonesia’s Lombok island, another major 7.0 magnitude quake rocked the holiday island on Sunday, US Geological Survey reported. The latest quake has struck just 10 kilometres underground, the USGS told AFP. Indonesian officials initially warned that a tsunami might follow but later lifted the warning. Officials said airports on both islands were operating normally despite minor damage. “Both airports are operating as normal, now we are cleaning up the airports. Some parts of the ceiling have fallen off, but no one is hurt,” said Handy Heryudhitiawan, corporate secretary at operator Angkasa Pura 1, which runs both airports. “Please go to a place with higher ground, while remaining calm and not panicking,” Dwikorita Karnawati, head of the agency for meteorology, climatology and geophysics, told local TV. Residents in Lombok’s main city Mataram described a strong jolt that sent people scrambling out of buildings. “Everyone immediately ran out of their homes, everyone is panicking,” Iman, a local resident in Mataram, told AFP. [caption id=“attachment_4438863” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of an earthquake in Indonesia. AP[/caption] On 29 July,  a powerful 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck the popular tourist destination of Lombok in Indonesia, killing more than 10 people and damaging many buildings, authorities said. The quake hit Lombok island early in the morning when many people were still sleeping. Around 40 people were injured and many fled into open fields away from collapsed buildings. “We jumped out of our beds to avoid anything falling on our heads,” said Jean-Paul Volckaert who was woken by the quake while sleeping in the Puncak Hotel near Senggigi on Lombok.“The quake was centred 50 kilometres (31 miles) northeast of the city of Mataram on the northern part of Lombok island,” the US Geological Survey (USGS) said. Officials later said the death toll from the earthquake, which was centred on the northern part of Lombok, but was also felt on the resort island of Bali to the west, stood at 16.  More than 335 people were injured , many by collapsing buildings. With inputs from The Associated Press