AFTERSHOCKS RATTLE WEST SUMATRA MONDAY-TUESDAY

Padang, West Sumatra Province, Aug. 18 (ANTARA) - Padang city and several other regions in West Sumatra were repeatedly rattled by low-magnitude aftershocks from Monday (Aug. 17) to Tuesday (Aug. 18), following a 6.9-magnitude earthquake which hit the province on Sunday (Aug. 16).

"Our sleep was disturbed by the aftershocks, and some of us were awake to anticipate another possible powerful earthquake," Ary, a resident of Tabing, said here on Tuesday.

On Monday morning, there were at least four aftershocks with magnitudes of around 5 on the Richter scale. The aftershocks' epicenters were located around Mentawai Islands up to Bengkulu sea, and Siberut Mentawai, at a depth of about 10 km below sea level.

The daily activities in the province ran normally despite the tremors. Local people attended flag-hoisting ceremonies to commemorate Indonesia's Independence Day on Monday morning although they were a bit worried that aftershocks might continue to shake their province.

The Sunday powerful earthquake could be felt by people living in Mentawai, Padang, Pariaman, Padang Pariaman, Agam, Pesisir Selatan, Payakumbuh and some other areas in West Sumatra as well as part of Riau Islands.

The earthquake injured several people and damaged a number of houses.