Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has recorded a total of 451 aftershocks as of 08.00 a.m. on Friday after a powerful magnitude-7 earthquake hit the Indonesian island of Lombok on August 5.

Of the total, 20 aftershocks could be felt by local residents, the agency noted in a statement released on Friday.

Another powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 6.2 on the Richter scale jolted the island on Thursday at 01.25 p.m. local time.

The quake was centered 33 kilometers northwest of Central Lombok district at a depth of 12 kilometers. But it did not have the potential to cause a tsunami, the BMKG said.

Earlier, BMKG chief Dwikorita Karnawati said aftershocks of lower intensity are likely to continue to hit the island until the next four weeks after two powerful earthquakes with a magnitude of 6.4 and 7.0 on the Richter scale hit the island on July 29 and August 5 respectively.

"In the next three to four weeks small earthquakes will still occur. We have to accept them as they are natural process," she said.

Aftershocks only have a maximum magnitude of 5.0 on the Richter scale and do not have the potential to cause damage. However, she asked residents whose houses were damaged by August 5`s quake to remain alert.

All residents of Lombok island must be prepared for the risk because the island is close to the Flores fault which stretches from Bali island to the north of Flores Sea, she said.

Reporting by Desi Purnamawati
Editing by Suharto, Otniel

Reporter: Antara
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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