6.6-magnitude earthquake strikes off eastern Indonesia
JAKARTA: An undersea earthquake with a magnitude of 6.6 was recorded in the east of Indonesia, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), but no tsunami warning has been launched.
The epicenter of the earthquake, which occurred at about 1 pm (local time) on Friday, was located at a depth of 24 km, 30 km from Sorong town at the northwest end of the Indonesian part of Papua, said the USGS. The specialized Pacific warning center said there was no danger of tsunami.
The USGS has slightly corrected downwards its magnitude estimate, it had initially judged to 6.9.
No information was reported in the immediate casualties or damage.
Indonesia is located on the “ring of fire” of the Pacific, where the collision of tectonic plates causes frequent earthquakes and significant volcanic activity.
In July, a 7.0-magnitude earthquake has killed one person and damaged buildings in Papua.
In 2004, a massive undersea earthquake, northwest of Indonesia, caused a massive tsunami, killing more than 170,000 people in Indonesia and tens of thousands more in several countries in the Indian Ocean.
