UPDATE - 7.0 earthquake hits eastern Indonesia; 3 dead

Tsunami alert lifted for the region, say state officials

UPDATES WITH CASUALTIES; ADDS DETAILS, CHANGES HEADLINE, DECK, LEDE

By Mahmut Atanur

JAKARTA (AA) – At least three people died when a magnitude 7.0 earthquake shook eastern Indonesia on Sunday, according to local media reports.

Authorities are trying to determine possible other casualties across the region, Metro TV reported.

The earthquake was centered 27 kilometers northeast of the city of Mataram on the island of Lombok -- a popular tourist destination -- 15 km under the surface, said the Agency for Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics (BMKG).

A tsunami alert, issued earlier for the region, has been lifted, the agency added.

Meanwhile, Praya International Airport is operating normally after a disruption in flights due to a power outage from the quake, airport officials said.

Last week, 16 people were killed when a magnitude 6.4 quake struck the same region, leading to the evacuation of more than 1,000 mountaineers.

Kaynak: