Indonesian man injured during an earthquake waits for medical attention at Sanglah hopital in Denpasar Photo: AFP
There were fears of a tsunami similar to the devastating wave which swept Aceh, in the north of Indonesia, and the coast of Thailand following an underwater earthquake in 2004.
But only a few people were injured and damage was apparently limited to cracked walls and dislodged roof tiles.
Two weeks ago a larger earthquake on the nearby island of Java left nearly 100 missing and presumed dead and ruined thousands of homes.
The magnitude 5.8 quake hit struck at just after 6 am local time on Saturday, 45 miles south of Denpasar, the island's capital, the US Geological Survey said. Indonesia's Meteorological and Geophysics Agency put the quake at a more powerful 6.4 magnitude.
Seven people were treated for head injuries and broken bones at Sanglah Hospital in Denpasar, said Dr. Ken Wirasandi, adding that women and children had run from their homes screaming when the ground began to shake.
"I was frightened because it was strong," said Ernst Raynaldo, a tourist from the Netherlands who was staying at the Kuta beach strip. "I ran out immediately as I saw many others rushing into the swimming pool," which was the closest open space.
The injured were hit by falling debris from buildings or hurt themselves jumping from high floors, said Rustam Pakaya, an official at Indonesia's health ministry.
The roof of a shopping mall in the island's capital of Denpasar also collapsed, the official said.
"When the quake happened I was in a market and some people started shouting and running out of the market building, leaving their belongings behind," said Putu Suartana, a resident in Singaraja. He said lamps swayed violently.
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