The 2018 earthquakes
In July and August 2018, a series of strong earthquakes struck Lombok. The largest, on 5 August, was magnitude 6.9, and there were several more above magnitude 6 that month. More than 500 people died, and around 150,000 houses were damaged or destroyed.
The damage was worst in the north and east of the island, near the epicentres, especially North Lombok regency. The south coast, where Kuta, Selong Belanak and Tampah are, felt strong shaking but was much less affected. Most deaths were caused by falling masonry from buildings that weren't designed for earthquakes, often older unreinforced brick houses.
The lesson for buyers isn't to avoid Lombok. It's that how a building is designed and built matters far more than where on the island it is.
Why Lombok has earthquakes
Indonesia sits where several tectonic plates meet. Two sources matter for Lombok:
- The Flores back-arc thrust, a fault zone running along the north of Lombok and its neighbours. It caused the 2018 earthquakes.
- The Java Trench, the subduction zone far off the south coast in the Indian Ocean. Large earthquakes there are less frequent but can cause tsunamis.
Bali, Sumbawa and the rest of the region share the same risks. Moving to Bali doesn't avoid them.
How a villa should be built
Indonesia has a national seismic building standard, SNI 1726, and Lombok is in one of its higher-risk categories. In practice, small builders don't always follow it, so check rather than assume:
- A reinforced concrete frame, with columns, beams and ring beams tied together, not walls of unreinforced brick carrying the weight
- Structural drawings and calculations signed by a licensed structural engineer
- A building permit (PBG), which requires the structural design to be reviewed
- Steel reinforcement of the size and spacing shown in the drawings. Ask for photos during construction, before the concrete is poured.
- Concrete mixed to a specified strength, ideally ready-mix, with test results
- Foundations designed for the soil, especially on slopes and reclaimed or sandy ground
- Light roof structures, or heavy roofs and rooftop pools that the engineer has specifically designed for
- Water tanks, plunge pools and rooftop features properly anchored
For off-plan villas, ask the developer for the structural drawings and the engineer's name, and have an independent engineer review them. Rooftop features such as pools, saunas and plunge baths add weight high up, which matters in an earthquake. Read building a villa in Lombok and buying off-plan for the wider checks.
Tsunami risk on the south coast
South Lombok faces the Indian Ocean, and tsunamis have reached this coast before, including after the 1977 Sumba earthquake. Indonesia's weather and geophysics agency, BMKG, runs a national tsunami warning system that sends alerts by text message and app.
- Height matters: villas on hills or well above the beach face much less tsunami risk than those at beach level. Much of South Lombok's newer villa development is on hillsides, but check the actual height of each site.
- Know the route: check the way to high ground from the villa, and give guests a simple evacuation note.
- The natural warning: strong or long shaking near the coast, or the sea pulling back suddenly, means go to high ground at once, without waiting for an official alert.
Volcano, floods and landslides
- Mount Rinjani: Lombok's active volcano is in the north of the island, far from the south coast. Its ash, and ash from volcanoes on Bali, has occasionally closed Lombok's airport for a few days, which can hit guest bookings.
- Flooding: heavy wet-season rain can flood low ground and river mouths. Ask neighbours how high water has reached, and check drainage on the site.
- Landslides and erosion: hillside plots with ocean views need proper retaining walls and drainage. Cutting into a slope without engineering is a common and expensive mistake.
Insuring a villa
- Earthquake cover isn't automatic. Basic fire policies usually exclude it. It's normally added as an extension, or included in broader property all-risk cover. Check that earthquake, tsunami, volcanic eruption and flood are each named in the policy schedule.
- Insure the rebuild cost, not the purchase price, and check the earthquake deductible, which is often a percentage of the insured value.
- Loss of rental income: business interruption cover pays while the villa can't be rented after damage.
- Use a licensed insurer: insurers in Indonesia are regulated by the financial services authority, OJK. Ask who insures the building on a leasehold: you, the landowner or the developer.
- Guests: public liability cover protects you if a guest is hurt.
Ask the developer or manager for a copy of the current policy, not just confirmation that one exists. Read villa management in Lombok for who arranges it.
Questions to ask before you buy
- Who designed the structure, and can I see the signed drawings?
- Does the building permit (PBG) cover the design as built, including any rooftop features?
- How high is the site above sea level, and what's the route to higher ground?
- Has the site flooded, or had landslides, in past wet seasons?
- How was the slope stabilised, and who designed the retaining walls?
- What insurance is in place, who holds it, and does it name earthquake and tsunami?
- For older buildings: how did it come through 2018, and what was repaired?
Want the structural and insurance details for a villa you're considering? Get in touch, and I'll ask the developer for them in writing.
This guide is general information, not engineering or insurance advice. Have an independent structural engineer and a licensed insurer review any specific property.