Strong 6.5-Magnitude Earthquake Hits Eastern Indonesia: Details Inside

A strong 6.5-magnitude earthquake struck the remote Maluku islands in eastern Indonesia on Thursday, said the United States Geological Survey (USGS). Fortunately, there were no immediate reports of casualties or major damage in the earthquake-hit area. 

According to the US Geological Survey, the earthquake struck about 37 kilometres offshore northeast of Ambon in Maluku province at 8:46 am local time. The quake struck at a depth of 29.9km, the US Geological Survey added. There are no threats of Tsunami. 

In the meantime, Rahmat Triyono, the head of Indonesia’s earthquake and tsunami centre, stated that the inland earthquake did not have the potential to cause a tsunami. 

"I was asleep with my family when suddenly the house started to shake," said an AFP reporter in Ambon. "The quake was really strong. We ran from our house and saw the neighbours fleeing too. Everybody was panicking."

It is to be noted that Indonesia experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity due to its position on the Pacific "Ring of Fire", where tectonic plates collide. 

Last year, more than 4,300 people were dead or missing after a 7.5-magnitude earthquake and a subsequent tsunami struck the Palu on Sulawesi island. Previously, on December 26, 2004, a devastating 9.1-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Sumatra and triggered a tsunami that killed 220,000 throughout the region, including around 170,000 in Indonesia. 

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