Aceh residents flee to higher ground

Aceh residents flee to higher ground

BANDA ACEH: An earthquake shook Banda Aceh at around 3 p.m. on
Wednesday, forcing local residents to flee to high grounds in
fear of another tsunami disaster.

The quake, measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale, caused cracks
in a number of buildings in the Aceh capital and cut power lines.
However, no injuries or casualties were reported.

"The quake lasted for three minutes but people only felt the
tremor for 30 seconds," said Al Farid, an operator at the Banda
Aceh Meteorology and Geophysics Agency.

He said residents in Sabang and neighboring areas also felt
the tremor.

Dozens of people thronged the Pante Perak bridge, a place
considered to be the highest point in Banda Aceh. --JP