6.0 magnitude quake hits eastern Indonesia

Xinhua, April 25, 2011

An earthquake of magnitude 6.0 struck the eastern parts of Indonesia on Monday, the country's Meteorology and Geophysics Agency reported.

It was followed by a 5.2-magnitude aftershock, the agency added.

The temblor occurred at 6:25 a.m. Jakarta time Monday (2306 GMT Sunday), with its epicenter some 55 km southeast of Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi. It had a depth of 18 km, an official of the agency, Derajat Ngatmanto, told Xinhua on the phone.

The intensity of the quake was registered at 3 to 4 MMI (Modified Mercally Intensity) in Kendari, he said.

Head of Meteorology and Geophysics Agency in Southeast Sulawesi named only Suwardy told Xinhua by phone from the area that there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said on its website that the quake measured 6.2 on the Richter scale.

Indonesia sits on a vulnerable quake-hit zone so called the "Pacific Ring of Fire," where two continental plates meet and seismic and volcanic movements are frequent.