Major Quake Rocks West Sumatra

Bengkulu, Sept 14 (ANTARA) - A major quake measuring 6.1 on the Richter Scale hit the western coast of Sumatra at 11.51 local time Friday, sending people to rush out of their houses in panic in Bengkulu. "We are jolted although it was not long," a local people said. The meteorology and geophysics office said the epicenter of the quake was in the sea 83 kilometer under the sea 162 kilometers southeast of the islands of Mentawai, West Sumatra. Meanwhile, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) said it plans to build 61 shelters for people in West Sumatra in the event of tsunami. BNPB will build the shelters in Padangpariaman starting this year to be completed in 2013. The shelters will be built on a higher ground not far from residential area to allow the people to reach the place in 30 minutes to escape tsunami.