A Chinese tourist in Indonesia has recounted her terrifying experience during a 7.7 magnitude earthquake, the first time she had ever felt such a tremor. The incident caused widespread fear, airport closures, and flight delays.
On August 15, the China Earthquake Networks Center officially confirmed that a 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck near the Flores Island region of Indonesia at 5:58 a.m. local time. Due to the high magnitude and shallow depth, local authorities detected a tsunami triggered by the seismic event. A Chinese tourist, identified as Ms. Wang, was on the popular tourist island of Komodo when the earthquake hit and was assisted by the hotel in seeking shelter.
Ms. Wang described being awakened by the shaking while sleeping in the early morning. She and her family quickly dressed and rushed downstairs to safety, but the power went out during the chaos. "This was my first earthquake, and I was very scared," she said. Her original plan to fly to Bali that morning was disrupted as the airport was closed and her flight was delayed.