Moderately strong earthquake and aftershocks rock Bali

A moderately strong earthquake and two aftershocks hit Indonesia’s resort island of Bali on Tuesday, causing panic but no immediate reports of damage or casualties.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the magnitude 4.9 quake was centered 35 kilometers (22 miles) north of Amlapura, a city in Bali’s Karangasem district.

Its shallow depth of 9.6 kilometers (6 miles) caused people to run outside, including staff and patients of Karangasem regional hospital.

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Many residents and tourists rushed out of their homes and hotels toward higher ground, but the situation returned to normal after they received text messages saying the quake had no potential to trigger a tsunami.

Indonesia, a vast archipelago of 270 million people, is frequently struck by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis because of its location on the “Ring of Fire,” an arc of volcanoes and fault lines that arcs the Pacific.