President Jokowi remains safe during quake jolts Jayapura
Jakarta, The Gulf Observer; President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and his entourage were in good condition after a magnitude 5.0 earthquake hit Jayapura on Friday, an official said.
“The president is in good condition and did not feel the earthquake,” said Bey Machmudin, Deputy for Press, Media, and Information Bureau of the Presidential Secretariat, in a brief message.
Jokowi has been on a working visit to Jayapura, Papua, since Wednesday evening.
They were having lunch at a restaurant in Numbai, South Jayapura District, Jayapura City when the earthquake struck at 1:25 p.m.
At that time, some cabinet members were accompanying the president, including Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian, Armed Forces Commander Admiral Yudo Margono, and Police Chief Gen. Listyo Sigit Prabowo.
“We didn’t expect an earthquake. We were having lunch and didn’t feel the earthquake,” remarked Machmudin.
According to the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), the epicenter of the earthquake was 53 km northwest of Jayapura District and 10 km underwater. The earthquake did not have the potential to cause a tsunami.