A HOLIDAYING family from Barry Island has been caught up in the earthquake which struck the central island of Lombok, Indonesia, on Sunday.

Welsh translator and Vale and Barry town councillor, Steffan Wiliam and his wife Nicky Branson, a school child counsellor, and their three children were in the area when the powerful 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck just before 7am (midnight UK time) on Sunday, July 29.

The couple were previously contestants on BBC 1 show Prized Apart when Cllr Wiliam assumed the role of adventurer in Morocco and Ms Branson answered questions in the UK studio.

Messaging the Barry & District News at the time of the events, Ms Branson said: “We felt the quake this morning and spoke to some lads from Ireland who said that it was much worse on Gili Trawangan and tourists were running outside upset.

“We had to get a very packed long boat to Lombok and a transfer in a Land Rover to the port on Lombok, but have had to wait ages to catch a boat as many are trying to leave Lombok.

“We’re currently sitting on a cargo ship outside the port of Padangbai off Bali waiting for the last hour to enter as they are saying that there’s a problem with the dock.

“We’re all fine, but tired although it’s much worse for local people in Lombok.”

Officials said at least 16 people had been killed and more than 330 were injured.

Thousands of homes were damaged by the original earthquake and there were 11 aftershocks.

The country’s disaster agency spokesman, Sutopo Purwo Nugrohosaid most injuries occurred when people were hit by debris and falling blocks of concrete.

The island attracts tourists from around the world due to its beaches, hiking trails, and surfing spots.

The US Geological Survey said quakes’s epicentre was 50km (31 miles) north-east of the city of Mataram, in northern Lombok.

More than 60 smaller earthquakes followed.

The largest was recorded at a magnitude of 5.7.