Mainly dry weather to aid recovery efforts after deadly Indonesian earthquake

By Renee Duff, AccuWeather meteorologist

July 30, 2018, 11:55:22 PM EDT

Mainly dry weather will aid recovery efforts following the 6.4 magnitude earthquake that killed more than a dozen on the Indonesian island of Lombok this past weekend.

The earthquake struck Lombok on Sunday morning local time, killing at least 16 people.

Officials report that many buildings collapsed, more than 160 people suffered injuries and streets were left littered with debris. Over 1,400 homes have been damaged, according to the Associated Press (AP).

As the earthquake triggered landslides, more than 680 people became trapped on Mount Rinjani.

BBC News reported that 543 people safely arrived down the mountain on Monday. While most were in good condition, some of the stranded have reportedly suffered minor injuries and were traumatized.

Mount Rinjani National Park, a popular tourist location for hikers, has been closed, according to BBC News.

While there can be a stray shower or thunderstorm at times this week, generally dry weather will aid in the rescue and cleanup process.

Temperatures will be near normal, with average highs around 29 C (84 F) at the Lombok International Airport. However, typical humid conditions in the lower elevations will put a strain on residents without air conditions and crews combing through the wreckage.

In this image made from video released by Indonesia's Disaster Mitigation Agency, a man inspects the damage caused by an early morning earthquake on the island of Lombok, Indonesia, Sunday, July 29, 2018. (Indonesia's Disaster Mitigation Agency via AP)

The United States Geological Service said the epicenter of the temblor was 33 miles (53 km) northeast of Mataram, Indonesia, which is home to over 300,000 people. The quake was very shallow, occurring at a depth of only 4 miles (6.4 km) below the earth's surface.

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Lombok is a popular tourist destination located just east of Bali, where shaking was also felt but no damage reported. Blackouts were reported in East Lombok and North Lombok. 

Dampak gempa 6.4 SR di 28 km barat laut Lombok Timur kedalaman 10 km pada 29/7/2018 pukul 05.47 WIB, beberapa bangunan dan rumah mengalami kerusakan di Sambelia Lombok Timur. BPBD masih melakukan pendataan. pic.twitter.com/NaaDmgrr43

— Sutopo Purwo Nugroho (@Sutopo_PN) July 28, 2018

Dozens of aftershocks have followed the powerful earthquake, including one with a magnitude of 5.7, according to Indonesia’s Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysics Agency.

Indonesia is located in the Ring of Fire, which is an area prone to frequent earthquakes.