SEMBALUN, Indonesia — A strong earthquake cut power across the Indonesian island of Lombok and destroyed buildings on Sunday, as the tourist area was trying to recover from a quake earlier this month that killed hundreds.
The magnitude 6.9 quake that hit just after 10 p.m. was one of multiple powerful earthquakes in the northeast of the island that also caused landslides. The nighttime quake was followed by strong aftershocks.
In Sembalun subdistrict, in the shadow of Mount Rinjani, the latest quake caused panic, but many people were already staying in tents after the earlier quake.
There was no immediate official information about casualties.
The National Disaster Mitigation Agency said power was cut across the island, hampering efforts to assess the situation. Some houses and other buildings in Sembalun had collapsed.
‘‘People panicked and scattered,’’ said disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho. ‘‘Some people are hysterical because they feel earthquake aftershocks that are harder than before. They heard a roar that probably came from landslides in the hills and Mount Rinjani.’’
Dwikorita Karnawatim, who heads Indonesia’s Meteorology and Geophysics Agency, said buildings that haven’t collapsed so far have suffered repeated stress, and the authorities have urged people to avoid entering weakened buildings.
The quake also was felt in the neighboring islands of Bali and Sumbawa and as far away as East Java and Makassar in Sulawesi.
The daytime quakes, which included a magnitude 6.3 jolt, caused landslides on the slopes of Rinjani, an active volcano, and panic in villages. Indonesian Red Cross video showed huge clouds of dust billowing from the slopes.
The disaster agency said one person died from a heart attack and nearly 100 houses were severely damaged.
A magnitude 7.0 quake that struck Lombok Aug. 5 killed 460 people, damaged tens of thousands of homes, and displaced several hundred thousand people.
Mount Rinjani has been closed to visitors since a July earthquake killed 16 people, triggered landslides, and stranded hundreds of tourists.
Associated Press
