Earthquake jolts Bengkulu

Jakarta: A 5.0-magnitude earthquake jolted Bengkulu province late on Monday, but there were no reports of structural damage or injuries, officials said on Tuesday.

The quake shook Bengkulu province, located on the southwestern edge of Sumatra island, at about 11 p.m. on Monday, said Edison Gurning, an official at the national earthquake center.

Gurning said the epicenter was about 14 kilometers from the district town of Argamakmur -- over 600 kilometers northwest of Jakarta -- and about 80 kilometers underground.

The earthquake paled in comparison to the powerful earthquake measuring 7.3 on the Richter scale that jolted Bengkulu in June 2000, and killed at least 94 people, with hundreds more injured and thousands of buildings destroyed. -- dpa