Earthquake kills 10 in Lombok, Indonesia

A powerful earthquake has struck a popular tourist destination in Indonesia, killing at least 10 people.

A 6.4 magnitude earthquake has struck the island of Lombok on Sunday morning, beginning at about 5:45 a.m. local time.

Tourists from around the globe are drawn to the island, which lies about 40km from Bali, for its beaches and hiking trails each year.

According the US Geological Survey, the epicentre of the earthquake was 50km northeast of the city of Mataram, on the north side of the island.

This was followed by over 60 smaller earthquakes, the largest of which had a recorded magnitude of 5.7.

Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, a spokesperson for Indonesia’s disaster agency said, “some 40 people are injured and dozens of houses were damaged”. The number is expected to rise as further information is uncovered.

Mr Nugroho commented, “The main focus now is evacuation and rescue. Some of the injured are still begin treated at clinics.”

Indonesia is prone to earthquakes as it lies on the Ring of Fire, a line of frequent quakes and volcanic eruptions that circles the Pacific rim and contains more than half the world’s active volcanoes above sea level.