7.4-magnitude quake hits off Indonesia's Maluku

JAKARTA: A 7.4-magnitude earthquake jolted off the southern coast of east Indonesia's Maluku province early Thursday morning, the Indonesian Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysical Agency said.

No casualties or damage have been reported from Indonesia's National Disaster Management Agency so far.

According to Xinhua, the quake struck at 1.25 am Jakarta time (1825 GMT Wednesday). The epicentre was 45 km northwest of Southwest Maluku Regency, Maluku province, with a depth of 210 km under the sea.

The agency reported strong tremours in islands and towns closer to the epiceneer. The agency also recorded a magnitude 5.2 aftershock near the epicentre.

The agency did not issue a tsunami warning for the quake, but warned of the possibility of aftershocks near the epicentre and cautioned residents to remain calm and alert.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) put the magnitude at 7.3 with a depth of 166.9 km.

In September 2018, a 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck Donggala Regency in Central Sulawesi province, killing more than 2,000 people in the quake and the tsunami triggered.

Indonesia sits on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire where several tectonic plates meet, making it vulnerable to frequent earthquakes.

-- BERNAMA