Garuda Wisnu Kencana still standing tall after Lombok earthquake
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The Garuda Wisnu Kencana (GWK) statue in Badung regency, Bali, was not affected by the magnitude-7 earthquake, which struck Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, and Bali on Sunday night.
Indonesian sculptor Nyoman Nuarta, who designed the statue, said he went to GWK Cultural Park a few hours after the earthquake, worrying about the cranes that could have toppled onto the statue and the welfare of the workers.
Fortunately, the cranes had been moved below prior to the quake.
Read also: Garuda Wisnu Kencana: Precious gift for Independence Day
He added that the statue was still intact. Nyoman told tempo.co that the statue was actually earthquake-proof, adding that he had considered the risk of earthquakes in the area.
The GWK is a phenomenal landmark in Bali. The development of the statue started in 1989 and when it is completed it will be 121 meters tall, 30 m taller than the Statue of Liberty in the United States.
