Omani tourists safe in quake-hit Indonesia

MUSCAT, Aug 6 - Omani tourists were safely evacuated from the Indonesian city of Lombok, which was hit by a 7.0 magnitude earthquake on Sunday, according to both Omani and Indonesian sources in Jakarta, capital of the South-East Asian nation. No Omani tourists were injured, said the sources. More than 1,000 tourists, including Omanis, were evacuated from Lombok. However, the city of Bali remains safe for tourists, though the quake has had an impact on two shopping malls and a cathedral there. Several Omani citizens are camping in Bali, Jakarta and Sumatra, it is learnt.

“Bali remains safe for tourists. Tourists and residents have been asked to stay calm and not to panic,” the Bali Government Tourism Office said. According to the tourism office, no tourists have been affected (bythe quake). “Authorities are continuing to monitor the extent of damage resulting from the earthquake,” it said. The Indonesian government has allocated a total of 75 rooms for the stranded tourists. “I was vacationing in Indonesia with my family and returned to Muscat two days ago,” Mohsin al Balushi, a PR director, told the Observer. “It’s sad to hear many were killed in the massive quake,” he said.

According to a statement from the Indonesian Embassy in Muscat, the quake triggered strong tremors that were felt throughout Bali. A series of minor aftershocks followed, measuring 5.4 and 4.3 on the Richter Scale. While the tsunami warnings have been lifted, seismologists continue to monitor for potential tsunami threats. Operations have been normal at Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport.

KABEER YOUSUF