Indonesia: Another quake hit near Flores

An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.2 was recorded near Flores Island, southern Indonesia, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said on October 2.
Indonesia: Another quake hit near Flores ảnh 1Houses were damaged in Palu, Indonesia's Central Sulawesi on October 1, 2018, after an earthquake and tsunami hit the area on September 28. (Photo: AFP/VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – An earthquake with a preliminarymagnitude of 6.2 was recorded near Flores Island, southern Indonesia, the USGeological Survey (USGS) said on October 2.

The quake, which hit about 250 km southwest of Ende onFlores, was later revised down by the USGS to 5.9 magnitudes. There were noimmediate tsunami alerts or reports of casualties or damage.

It happened four days after the country’s Central Sulawesiprovince was ravaged by two devastating quakes measuring 6.1 and 7.5 on theRichter scale. The second was followed by giant tsunami waves of up to 6 metreshigh in some areas.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination ofHumanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) estimated some 190,000 Indonesian citizens inCentral Sulawesi are in need of humanitarian aid. Among them, there are 46,000children and 14,000 elderly victims.

The Indonesian government is making concerted efforts to bring food, aid andnecessities to Sulawesi, while rescuers race against time to find victimstrapped inside the debris.

As of October 1, the disasters have racked up a total ofnearly 1,300 deaths and the casualties are believed to keep rising.

No Vietnamese has been reported dead or missing,according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It also confirmed that 10Vietnamese students studying at Tadulako University in Palu city are safe.

These are the latest natural disasters to hit Indonesia, which is frequentlystruck by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis because of its locationon the "Ring of Fire," an arc of volcanoes and fault lines in thePacific Basin.

A series of earthquakes in July and August killed nearly 500 people on theholiday island of Lombok, hundreds of kilometres southwest of Sulawesi.

In December 2004, a massive 9.1-magnitude earthquake off the northernIndonesian island of Sumatra triggered a tsunami across the Indian Oceancountries, killing 220,000 people in 13 countries, including more than 168,000in Indonesia.–VNA 
VNA

See more

The DITP predicts the Chinese market for dried and preserved fruits will reach 335.3 billion CNY (46 billion USD) by 2028. (Photo: The Nation)

Thailand leads dried fruit exports to China

The DITP predicts the Chinese market for dried and preserved fruits will reach 335.3 billion CNY (46 billion USD) by 2028 and is urging Thai businesses to capitalise by developing innovative, high-quality products.

Singaporean Minister for National Development Desmond Lee (Photo: straitstimes.com)

Singapore makes efforts to upgrade social housing

Singaporean Minister of National Development Desmond Lee said on February 17 that 29,000 flats built in 1997 or earlier have been chosen for the Housing Board’s Home Improvement Programme (HIP) and will get structural improvements and upgrades to bathrooms and entrances, among other things.

Indonesia's Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries is encouraging the utilization of marine biopharmaceuticals. (Photo: Antara)

Indonesia promotes Marine Biopharma in healthcare

The ministry's Director General of Marine and Ocean Space Management Victor Gustaaf Manoppo stated that this initiative aims to enhance national pharmaceutical resilience while empowering coastal communities involved in the supply chain of natural medicinal ingredients.

Myanmar cracks down on online scam centres

Myanmar cracks down on online scam centres

An estimated 220,000 people were estimated to have been tricked into working for romance-investment schemes, crypto fraud, money laundering and illegal gambling in Myanmar and Cambodia in 2023.

People get vaccinated against influenza in Thailand. (Photo: Xinhua/VNA)

Thailand sees surge in influenza cases

Thai Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin said there has been a big jump in infections in February, calling on people showing symptoms that could be flu to stay home, to prevent spreading the virus.

Thai PM Paetongtarn says AI technology needs to be adopted and regulated to help drive the Thai economy. (Photo: bangkokpost.com)

Thailand touts draft AI regulation

AI is expected to become a key tool in driving businesses and developing industries in Thailand, said Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra.

At the Korea-Malaysia Trade Ministers' Meeting in 2023 (Photo: Koreaherald.com)

Malaysia, RoK resume FTA talks

The latest round of talks will take place in Kuala Lumpur from February 17 to 20, with discussions covering 11 key sectors, including goods, services, investment, and economic cooperation.

Secretary-General of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Dr Kao Kim Hourn (R) (Photo: asean.org)

ASEAN chief confident in Malaysia’s chairmanship

Malaysia's priorities for its 2025 chairmanship include strengthening ASEAN centrality, fostering trust through dialogue, diplomacy, and goodwill, and expanding economic partnerships beyond ASEAN borders.