Telly Nathalia, Jakarta – Indonesian authorities lifted a tsunami warning late Friday after a powerful earthquake struck off the southern coast of Java – the most densely populated island on the archipelago. The country's Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency also revised the magnitude of the earthquake from the previously reported 7.4 on the Richter scale to 6.9.

The tsunami warning was lifted around two and a half hours after it was issued. The agency had also provided a list of areas where the tsunami was expected to hit but never came. Residents who have fled their homes are now urged to return.

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo said in Jakarta that he was keeping himself abreast of any new development but would only sign off on more official responses to the disaster on Saturday.

"We are monitoring [the situation] and will decide [on more actions] tomorrow," he told reporters after watching a wayang performance at the State Palace.

The National Disaster Mitigation Agency has received information that seven houses were badly damaged by the earthquake in Cianjur, West Java.

In Lampung, at least a thousand people took shelter at the governor's complex.

The Transportation Ministry said land, sea and air transportation was still running normally. No transportation infrastructure has been damaged by the earthquake.

"The Merak-Bakaheuni ferry crossing is still running as normal. There has been no disruption at Soekarno-Hatta and Halim Perdana Kusumah airports or on the Jakarta-Banten train line," Transportation Ministry spokesman Hengki Angkasawan said in a statement on Friday night. The ferry line connects Merak Port in Banten on Java island and Bakaheuni Port in Lampung on Sumatra island.

Source: https://jakartaglobe.id/context/indonesia-lifts-tsunami-warning-after-powerful-quake