Earthquake Strikes Off Indonesia's Coast, Stirring Fears in Jakarta

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January 23, 2018 8:48 AM

A strong earthquake struck off the southern coast of Java, Indonesia, on Tuesday, rocking buildings in the capital, Jakarta, and sending people fleeing into the streets in panic.

The magnitude-6.1 earthquake struck around 1:45 p.m. about 100 miles southwest of Jakarta, with its epicenter in the Indian Ocean.

There were no immediate reports of casualties, but reports on social media suggested that buildings in the capital shook for several seconds, with some being evacuated.

Around Jakarta, panicky Indonesians fled schools, office buildings and other high-rises.

“It felt like a giant rock had dropped either in the hallway or just outside the building,” said Marcoen Stoop, a Belgian businessman who lives on the 35th floor of an apartment building in Jakarta. “Then, the building started swaying and the swaying increased steadily,” he added, saying the rocking lasted less than a minute.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

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