Strong quake hits off Indonesia

[Adsos Letter]

Source: BBC/Asia-Pacific

A magnitude 7 earthquake has hit off the coast of Indonesia, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).

The quake was reported to have occurred in the Banda Sea, near the Maluku islands to the east of East Timor.

The quake struck at a depth of 92 miles (148km), USGS reported. Indonesian authorities issued a tsunami alert.

Indonesia sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, one of the most active areas for earthquakes and volcanic activity in the world.


Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8324031.stm

[fascisthunter]

1. 7.3?! Yikes...

"Indonesian authorities reportedly put the quake's magnitude at 7.3"

I am assuming a tsunami may result from this.

[dana_b]

2. oh man... those poor people

they keep on coming.

[jwirr]

3. I have been watching that area for a while now and they have been

having quite a few big quakes lately. The volcanoes are all active and they form a line right along the edge of the plate. If there is going to be big plate action in the near future I think that is the place it will happen or is happening.

[Adsos Letter]

4. Does all of this activity constitute a safety release from a really, really big one?

[jwirr]

6. Hopefully.

[Turborama]

5. Tsunami warning lifted in Indonesia

Jakarta - Authorities lifted a tsunami warning after tidal waves did not materialize late Saturday following a powerful earthquake, measuring 7.3 on the Richter scale, which struck the Maluku islands in eastern Indonesia, seismologists said.

The quake struck at 9:40 pm Jakarta time with its epicentre 209km north-west of Saumlaki in Maluku province. It occurred about 165km beneath the seabed, Indonesia's Meteorology and Geophysics Agency (BMG) said.

The tsunami alert was cancelled about 30 minutes later after no giant waves materialised, seismologists said. There were no immediate reports of structural damage or human casualties.

A report by MetroTV private television stated that residents of Ambon, the capital of Maluku province, and communities in Sorong in West Papua province, had run out their homes in panic. Many of them headed to higher ground for fear of a tsunami.

More: http://www.news24.com/Content/World/News/1073/00ca1b6c8e654192bbe9cb470cac734f/24-10-2009-05-48/Tsunami_warning_lifted_in_Indonesia