Rock‑and‑Roll on Sumba: Two Quakes Hit the Coast in Rapid Succession
Picture this: the sun is just half‑rise over the southern horizon of Indonesia’s Sumba island, and suddenly—boom!—the ground feels like it went on a roller‑coaster. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, two tremors rattled the area on Tuesday morning (October 2), each knocking the island a fresh dozen times into the earth.
First Shudder: 5.9 on the Scale
- Time: 23:59 GMT (07:59 AM Singapore time)
- Depth: near‑surface (shallow)
- Location: roughly 40 km off Sumba’s coast
With a population of about 750,000, Sumba is just one island away from Flores, whose 1.8 million residents often share similar stories of the sea’s whispers. Some early reports even misplaced the quake to 250 km southwest of Ende on Flores—talk about a mis‑direction!
Second Shudder: 6.0 Powerhouse
- Only 15 minutes after the first!
- Magnitude: 6.0—feel the bigger jolt
- Depth: 30 km (a bit deeper, but with a stronger pull)
- Same general area as the first—talk about locality crime
Sumba sits a cool 1,600 km south of Sulawesi, where a devastating quake and tsunami just stole the headlines a week earlier. Thankfully, the two Sumba quakes kept their extra‑bigger cliché to themselves.
What It Means for the Island
- Local residents get a second chance to adjust to seismic surprises.
- Infrastructure checks increase—no surprises for the bravest.
- Possible subtle aftershocks, but no immediate alarm.
So, what you’ll see on the news: “Yesterday, Sumba felt the earth’s heartbeat twice!” If you’re on Sumba—or just nearby—keep your shoes on your feet, because this isn’t a heavy‑metal concert; it’s a natural event. Stay alert, stay safe, and keep your hand on the inside of your skull (okay, that’s a bit dramatic, but you get the idea).
