5.6-magnitude quake hits Indonesia

JAKARTA—A moderate 5.6-magnitude earthquake hit off Indonesia’s Sumatra island on Wednesday, the local geophysics agency said, but there were no initial reports of damage or casualties.

The quake struck at a depth of 30 kilometers (18 miles) around 175 kilometers southwest of the city of Bengkulu at 11:19 am (0419 GMT).

“So far we haven’t received any information if there is an impact or damages from the quake. The quake is located quite far from Bengkulu,” National Quake Center official Bayu Pranata said.

Indonesia sits on the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, where the meeting of continental plates causes high seismic activity, and Sumatra is particularly prone to earthquakes.

Read more...