JAKARTA – A 6.9-magnitude quake struck eastern Indonesia on Friday, the US Geological Survey (USGS) reported, but there were no immediate reports of casualties or major damage and no tsunami warning was issued.
The undersea tremor struck at a depth of more than 600 kilometers about 220 kilometers south of Katabu on the island of Sulawesi, the agency said, with reports that it was felt hundreds of kilometers away from the epicenter in the Banda Sea.
Deep quakes tend to cause less damage than shallow ones and USGS said there was a low likelihood of casualties and damage.
An AFP reporter in Kupang, far south of the epicenter, said buildings swayed as the quake hit, prompting frightened residents to run outside.
The Southeast Asian archipelago experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity due to its position on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” where tectonic plates collide. In 2018, a 7.5-magnitude quake and subsequent tsunami on Sulawesi island left more than 4,300 people dead or missing. (AFP)
