No Material Damage In Maluku Earthquakes

Ambon, Maluku, Dec 11 (ANTARA) - The two powerful earthquakes that happened early Tuesday in the district of West Southeast Maluku (MTB), Maluku Province, wrought no material damage nor casualty, according to Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) spokesman Kifly Wakanno. "After making a coordination with MTB district authority, we get the information that the two powerful earthquakes did no damage to local properties nor cause a tsunami," Wakanno said. According to him, the first earthquake measuring 7.4 on the Richter scale that occurred at 1.53 am Eastern Indonesia Standard Time (WIT) prompted the sleeping people to scramble out of their houses in panic. The epicenter of the first quake was situated at 67.74 degrees southern latitude and 129.99 degrees eastern longitude at a depth of 170 km under the sea, or 180 km northwest of the MTB district town of Saumlaki. Later at 5.47 am, and aftershock measuring 5 on the Richter scale jolted the district with its epicenter located at 6.59 degrees southern latitude and 130.13 degrees eastern longitude at a depth of 164 km under the sea. Data from local Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) indicated that the magnitude of the first earthquake was also felt by the people in Aru Islands district, and the districts of North Halmahera and Morotai in North Maluku province.