5.9 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Eastern Indonesia, No Damage Reported

By Staff, Agencies

A 5.9 magnitude earthquake struck off Indonesia's eastern North Maluku province early Thursday, according to the country’s Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency.

The quake did not cause any damage or trigger large waves.

The earthquake occurred at 04:03 a.m. local time [2103 GMT], with its epicenter located 121 kilometers [75 miles] southwest of Loloda sub-district in North Halmahera Regency. It struck at a depth of 42 kilometers [26 miles] beneath the seafloor.

Tremors were felt in the neighboring province of North Sulawesi, including the cities of Manado and Bitung. A 4.9 magnitude aftershock followed at 04:31 a.m. [2131 GMT].

Authorities reported no damage to infrastructure or loss of life, and no tsunami warning was issued.

Indonesia, which sits along the Pacific Ring of Fire, is among the world's most seismically active countries, with 130 active volcanoes.