Three dead, including two tourists, after earthquake hits Lombok beauty spot
Authorities have confirmed that three people died, including two Malaysian tourists, when an earthquake hit the Indonesia island of Lombok.
The 5.5-magnitude quake triggered a landslide near the Sedang Gile and Tiu Kelep waterfalls.
Many others were injured, mostly domestic and Malaysian tourists.
The waterfalls are in the area where most of last summer’s earthquakes emanated from, on the slopes of the highly active Rinjani volcano.
Those series of quakes killed more than 500 and left hundreds of thousands displaced.
Access to the waterfalls is now closed.
Buildings were damaged and about 30 residents were injured but tourism leaders insist infrastructure and other facilities in the popular Senaru trekking area are mostly unaffected.
"Disasters can happen anywhere. The most important thing is that we are ready to deal with them," said regional tourism chief Lalu Mohammad Faozal.
Elsewhere in Lombok, tourist areas including the Gili Islands, Senggigi and the south coast are unaffected.
The Sedang Gile waterfall is one of Lombok’s top inland natural tourist attractions.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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