Deadly 6.4-magnitude earthquake hits tourist island near Bali

At least three people were killed and a dozen others injured after a 6.4-magnitude earthquake on Indonesia’s Lombok Island, a popular tourist destination next to Bali.

The earthquake damaged dozens of single-storey houses and taller buildings and was felt in a wider area, including in Bali, where no damage or casualties were reported.

The US Geological Survey said the earthquake had a depth of 4.4 miles.

In East Lombok province and the provincial capital of Mataram, the tremor lasted about 10 seconds, sending residents fleeing from their homes onto streets and fields, said Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho.

He said the three fatalities and injuries were caused by falling slabs of concrete.

Photos released by the agency showed damaged houses and the entrance to the popular Mount Rinjani National Park, which was immediately closed for fear of landslides.

Like Bali, Lombok is known for pristine beaches and mountains. Hotels and other buildings in both locations are not allowed to exceed the height of coconut trees.

Indonesia is prone to earthquakes due to its location on the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, an arc of volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific Basin.

In December 2004, a massive 9.1-magnitude earthquake off Sumatra triggered a tsunami that killed 230,000 people in a dozen countries.