Earthquake Rocks Bengkulu, Indonesia

JAKARTA, Dec 31 (Bernama) -- An earthquake measuring 5.7 on the Richter Scale rocked the Bengkulu Province in Sumatera, Indonesia Sunday. According to the Indonesian Agency for Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics (BMKG), the earthquake took place at 3.39 pm West Indonesian time and was centred 42 km north east of Lebong, Bengkulu Province. The earthquake was felt in Kota Bengkulu, Kepahiang, Bengkulu Tengah, Manna, Mukomuko, Lebong, Pesisir Selatan, Kepulauan Mentawai, Pariaman and Padang. The Indonesian media said residents ran helter-skelter out of their homes and buildings when the earthquake took place. BMKG reported that the earthquake did not trigger a tsunami. To date, there were no reports on destructions of property or loss of lives following the earthquake. -- BERNAMA