Earthquake of 5.5 magnitude rocks Indonesia’s tourist island of Bali

An earthquake has hit Indonesia’s resort island of Bali, causing some panic among residents, but there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.

An earthquake has hit Indonesia’s resort island of Bali, causing some panic among residents, but there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.

The United States Geological Survey says the magnitude 5.5 earthquake that struck at 7:10 am on Wednesday (23:10 GMT Tuesday) was centered 2 kilometers (1,4 miles) northeast of Banjar Pasekan. (USGS)

The United States Geological Survey says the magnitude 5.5 earthquake that struck at 7:10 am on Wednesday (23:10 GMT Tuesday) was centered 2 kilometers (1,4 miles) northeast of Banjar Pasekan, a town on the southeastern part Bali, at a depth of 118 kilometers (74 miles).

Witnesses said many residents and tourists ran 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 is prone to the seismic upheaval due to its location on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire.