Jakarta, Nov 8 (AP) Several powerful and low-intensity earthquakes struck a sparsely populated island chain in eastern Indonesia on Wednesday. However, till now there is no immediate information about any loss of life or property due to the earthquake.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck at a depth of 10 kilometers, 341 kilometers southwest of the coastal city of Tual in Maluku province.
This was followed by another magnitude 7.0 earthquake in the same area and two aftershocks of magnitude 5.1, the USGS said.
Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysical Agency said there was no threat of a tsunami, although it warned of possible aftershocks.
National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman Abul Muhari said in a statement that villagers in the Tanimbar Islands reported strong shaking for a few minutes, but there was no reason to panic.
He said the quake’s epicenter was in the Banda Sea near the Tanimbar Islands, which have a population of about 127,000.
Indonesia, a country of more than 270 million people, is often affected by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis.
AP Surbhi Manisha
Manisha
