News Travel Tourism: Bali Shaken by 7.1-Magnitude Earthquake, No Major Damage Reported

A powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake, followed by aftershocks, rocked Bali and other Indonesian islands on Tuesday morning, as reported by the US Geological Survey (USGS). The quake prompted the evacuation of tourists but did not result in significant damage.

The earthquake occurred at a considerable depth, approximately 515 kilometers deep, in the sea northeast of Bali at 3:55 AM local time (19:55 GMT on Monday), according to the institute, which ruled out the possibility of a tsunami. The tremors were felt across Bali and neighboring islands such as Lombok and Sumbawa.

"When the first earthquake happened, I woke up my husband. Shortly after, a second one occurred, so we immediately took our children outside," said 31-year-old Ardylla Yuliacitra, a resident of the tourist island. "The first earthquake made me sway like a boat, and the second one shook my house," she added.

Two aftershocks, measuring 5.4 and 5.6 in magnitude, were recorded by the USGS. Some hotels temporarily evacuated guests, while staff monitored the beaches out of concern for a possible tsunami.

"We comforted the guests and provided water and towels for those who were temporarily evacuated," explained Nimas Ayu, spokesperson for the Artotel hotel on the east side of Bali.

Authorities have not reported any immediate damage.

"Our teams are assessing the situation and gathering information from residents," stated the disaster management agency in a release.