"We are all indeed felt the quake, and please keep calm," Patria posted on his Instagram handle @arizapatria from Jakarta on Friday.
The deputy governor also expressed his gratitude and lauded public office staff, office guests, and emergency staff at Jakarta City Hall, which houses the deputy governor's office and various regional government agencies, for maintaining order and promptly seeking refuge in safer areas during the quake.
"I believe residents in other places are also maintaining calmness and following order (while evacuating)," he said.
Patria also encouraged Jakartans to call their families and relatives to assure them that they were safe and had moved to safer locations.
"We must stay in safer places. Do not forget to call and notify your family that you are safe. Do not use elevators and keep your distance from objects that fall easily," the deputy governor instructed.
Related news: 6.6 magnitude earthquake jolts Banten's Sumur Sub-district
Residents should also refer to the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) and Jakarta Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency for information regarding the earthquake, he added.
As of 5.55 p.m. local time (UTC +7), about half an hour after the tremors were felt, some staff working at the City Hall could be seen taking refuge on the office's main field.
During the quake, security officers had used the PA system to instruct workers to leave the building promptly.
According to information published by BMKG, the 6.6-magnitude earthquake occurred at 4.05 p.m. local time and was centered some 52 kilometers southwest of Sumur Sub-district in Banten Province, west of Jakarta.
The agency informed that the earthquake did not have the potential to cause a tsunami.
Related news: Quake of magnitude 5.5 strikes North Halmahera: BMKG
Translator: Dewa Ketut SW, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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