A powerful 6.6-magnitude earthquake hit Nabire City in Central Papua early Friday morning, causing significant internet disruptions across several parts of the region.
According to the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), the quake occurred at 3:19 a.m. local time (UTC+9). Its epicenter was located about 29 kilometers northwest of Nabire City at a depth of 24 kilometers. BMKG confirmed that the earthquake did not trigger a tsunami.
A series of aftershocks followed, ranging from 2.6 to 4.2 in magnitude, and continued at least until 4:05 a.m. local time.
Internet Services Disrupted
The West Papua regional office of state-owned telecommunications provider TelkomGroup reported that the quake caused internet outages in several areas of Central Papua, including Nabire, Botawa, and Enarotali.
“The earthquake, centered 24 kilometers northwest of Nabire on Friday morning, disrupted TelkomGroup’s services in the Nabire, Botawa, and Enarotali regions,” said General Manager Eric Tobing in a written statement.
Tobing added that company engineers are working to restore connectivity, including efforts to reconnect the Kigamani–Timika internet line. The company also reported that a landslide damaged the land-based fiber-optic cable, complicating recovery efforts.
“We apologize for the inconvenience and ask for your prayers and support during the recovery process,” Tobing said.
