Powerful quake hits eastern Indonesia

  • 16/09/2015
(iStock)
(iStock)

A powerful 6.3-magnitude earthquake has struck eastern Indonesia, US seismologists say, but no tsunami warning has been issued and there are no immediate reports of damage or casualties.

The quake struck on Wednesday (local time) at a depth of 52 kilometres under the Molucca Sea about 3:40pm, between the islands of Sulawesi and Halmahera, the US Geological Survey says.

Mochammad Riyadi, a senior official from Indonesia's meteorology, climatology and geophysics agency, says the quake was felt strongly on Halmahera, which is part of the Maluku Island chain.

However, he adds there are no immediate reports of casualties or damage and no tsunami alert has been issued.

AFP