6.6 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Indonesia, No Tsunami Warning Issued

An earthquake of 6.6 magnitude earthquake shook up Indonesia’s eastern region on Tuesday. But no tsunami warning was issued.

According to the United States Geological Survey, the quake struck off Halmahera island in North Maluku province at 0948 GMT at a depth of about 35 kilometres.

There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries after the earthquake.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said there was “no tsunami threat” from the quake.

But Indonesia’s geophysics agency (BMKG) warned residents in nearby areas of possible aftershocks.

Indonesia experiences frequent earthquakes due to its position on the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, an arc of intense seismic activity where tectonic plates collide that stretches from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.

In 2004, a magnitude-9.1 quake struck Aceh province, causing a tsunami and killing more than 170,000 people in Indonesia.