A Rapid Reaction Team of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) has been deployed in the earthquake-affected area in South Halmahera District, Acting Head of Information Data Center and Public Relations of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), Agus Wibowo, said.

"The Rapid Reaction Team has arrived in Ternate. The team used a motorboat to get to the affected location," Agus Wibowo said during a press conference in Jakarta, Monday. BNPB also dispatched an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle team to the disaster area to monitor the impact and damage caused by the earthquake.

The location of the disaster is an archipelago consisting of several islands making it quite difficult to handle and collect data on the damage.

"Since Sunday night (July 14), the regional government along with the Indonesian National Armed Force/Indonesian National Police and related agencies have handled refugees, collected and installed tents, and organized the distribution of aid," he said.

The Communication Forum for the Regional Leaders of South Halmahera District has established a post in Labuha City, the capital of South Halmahera District.

The South Halmahera District Government has set up an emergency response status for seven days that will end on Sunday, July 21.

South Halmahera District was hit by an earthquake measuring 7.2 on the Richter Scale at a depth of 10 kilometers under sea level, 62 kilometers northeast of Labuha, North Maluku.

The earthquake occurred on Sunday, July 14, at 16.10 Western Indonesian Time at the coordinates of 0.59 degrees South Latitude and 128.06 degrees East Longitude.

The earthquake that occurred was a shallow one due to the Sorong-Bacan fault activity. The results of the analysis of the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) showed that the earthquake was generated by a rock deformation with a horizontal movement structure. (ANTARA)