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