Moderate Earthquakes Hit West Irian Region, Banda Sea

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 5 (Bernama) -- Two moderate earthquakes hit West Irian Region and Banda Sea of Indonesia Monday. No tsunami threats recorded. The Malaysian Meteorological Department said in a statement that the first earthquake, measuring 5.4 on the Richter scale, occurred in West Irian Region at 2.53am, about 884km northwest of Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea and 2,687km southeast of Kunak, Sabah. The second earthquake occured at 5.45am, with a magnitude of 5.4, in Banda Sea, 96km southwest of Ambon and 1,408km southeast of Tawau, Sabah. Sabah is an East Malaysia state. -- BERNAMA