Powerful quake hits Indonesia

JAKARTA: A powerful quake with a magnitude of 7.0 hit off the Indonesian island of Maluku on Sunday, seismologists said, but no tsunami warning was issued.

The quake struck at 07:47 pm local time (1247 GMT) about 132 kilometres (82 miles) southeast of Labuha, North Maluku province, at a depth of 56 kilometres, the Indonesian Meteorology and Geophysics Agency said.

“There has been no report of casualties so far. There was some shaking felt in several areas but it’s not strong,” the agency’s technical chief Suharjono told media.

Indonesia sits on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” where the meeting of continental plates causes high volcanic and seismic activity.