Jakarta. A 4.9-magnitude earthquake struck Bekasi, West Java, and surrounding areas at 7:54 p.m. (12.54 GMT) on Wednesday, but authorities confirmed there were no reports of damage or casualties.

Indonesia’s National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) said the quake’s epicenter was located on land, southeast of Bekasi Regency, at a depth of 10 kilometers.

Tremors were felt with moderate to strong intensity across several neighboring regions, including Depok, Bogor, Karawang, Purwakarta, and Cianjur. At 8:35 p.m., a mild aftershock of magnitude 2.1 was recorded, prompting officials to urge residents to remain alert.

Shortly after the quake, a post on social media platform X claimed a health clinic in Karawang had collapsed due to the tremors. BNPB refuted the report, clarifying that part of the building had already collapsed hours earlier following heavy rain and strong winds.

“The damage to the front and terrace of the clinic was caused by rain accompanied by strong winds on Wednesday afternoon, not the earthquake,” BNPB said in a statement.

Residents Recall Past Trauma
In Cianjur, where a devastating 2022 earthquake killed more than 330 people, residents rushed out of their homes after feeling the strong vibrations.

“The shaking was quite strong. My friends and I panicked and ran outside. We still remember the 2022 Cianjur quake, so every tremor makes us afraid it will happen again,” said Dhafa Ramadhan, a Cianjur resident.

Farhan Fauzan, a resident of Sukaluyu District in Cianjur, said he and his wife also left their house as a precaution. “We were indoors and felt a strong jolt. Even though the epicenter was in Bekasi, the tremors reached here,” he said.

Indonesia, which sits on the seismically active Pacific “Ring of Fire”, is highly prone to earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions. The country records thousands of quakes annually, with several proving deadly in recent decades. This vulnerability underscores the importance of rapid response and public awareness whenever tremors strike.

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