Tourists killed, injured by earthquake-triggered landslide on Lombok

JAKARTA - An earthquake on Indonesia's Lombok island on Sunday (March 17) has caused a landslide, killing several people, including a Malaysian. Six Malaysians were also missing.

The earthquake, which struck around 2.07pm local time, caused a landslide that trapped about 40 tourists at the Tiu Kelep waterfall in Senaru Village, north of Lombok.

The Star reported that the quake was of 5.8-magnitude. The Jakarta Post reported a 5.4-magnitude tremblor.

The Malaysian who was killed was identified as Sin Chew Daily's deputy executive editor-in-chief, Datin Tai Siew Kim.

Her son, who was with her, was slightly injured and is receiving treatment at a hospital.

Tai is also the wife of China Press editor-in-chief, Datuk Teoh Yang Khoon.

"The Foreign Ministry has received reports that a Malaysian has died, while six more are missing after a 5.8 Richter scale earthquake struck East Lombok, Indonesia today at 2.07pm.

"The Ministry would like to express its condolences to the victims and their families affected," it said in a statement. 

It has been reported that effects from the earthquake were felt in north Lombok and other areas, as well as in Bali.

"There were about 40 tourists affected by the landslide around the area. Most of the victims were Malaysians and domestic tourists," a spokesman for the North Lombok regency administration said in a statement.

The Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency and the North Lombok Health Agency dispatched four ambulances to the scene, as well as medical and rescue personnel to aid and relocate victims. As of Sunday afternoon, the team had rescued 19 people and recovered two bodies.

Bayan district was one of several areas heavily damaged by a series of earthquakes that jolted the island between July and August last year. More than 500 people were killed while more than 1,500 were injured during that disaster.