7.3 MAGNITUDE QUAKE JOLTS JAKARTA

By Mohd Nasir Yusoff

JAKARTA, Sept 2 (Bernama) – An earthquake with a magnitude of 7.3 on the
Richter Scale has jolted the Java island at 2.55pm, causing the authorities to
issue a tsunami warning.

The tsunami threat, which was issued half an hour later, was withdrawn at
3.50pm.

Panic Office workers fled high-rise office buildings in the capital through
staircases and poured onto the streets.

Although the earthquake struck at the depth of 30km and 142km west of Tasik
Malaya, tremors could be felt in Jakarta, some 400km away, and Bandung.

There are no reports of casualties or damages yet.

The writer, who was at the Adhiyana Hall on the second floor of the
20-storey Wisma Antara, noticed the chandelier swayed while Coordinating
Minister for People's Welfare Abu Rizal Bakrie was delivering his speech.

The squeaking of doors sent shocked waves down the spine of the audience
before the walls were seen like swaying.

Shouts of "earthquake" caused a pandemonium as the audience left the
ceremony abruptly and headed for the staircase.

There were shouts of "Allahuakbar" (God is great) as everybody made their
way to the ground floor and on to the streets.

A man, who worked on the 19th floor of the building, said the doors shook
violently while the curtains swayed.

Thousand of workers, who remained on the streets, panicked again when an
after shock with a magnitude of 5.1 on the Richter Scale was felt at 3.13pm.

Malaysian Embassy in Indonesia head of chancery Raja Reza Raja Zaib Shah
said Malaysian students and expatriates in the republic were safe.

"We had called up all student leaders in places like Yogyakarta, Bandung,
Bogor and several areas in Jakarta. Thank God, they are safe," he told Bernama.

He said the embassy's personnel had also left the building during the
tremor.

Meanwhile, Indonesian television stations aired visuals on the collapsed
walls of several buildings in Tasik Malaya and Bandung.

The cracked walls of several high-rise buildings in Jakarta including the
six-storey Semanggi Plaza shopping complex was also shown.

A Malaysian expatriate said he and his wife walked down the staircase from
their 25th floor condominium unit.

-- BERNAMA