Earthquake rocks Bengkulu

BENGKULU CITY: An earthquake measuring 5.2 on the Richter scale rocked Bengkulu on Wednesday causing panic but no reported injuries.

The earthquake occurred at 7:47 a.m. originating from the Indian Ocean, some 295 kilometers southwest of Bengkulu City.

Chief of the local meteorology and geophysics office Armien Paimin said that citizens of the North Bengkulu, South Bengkulu, Kepahyang and Rejang Lebong regencies were upset by the quake but the province is among those prone to earthquakes.

Located on the border of the Eurasian and Indo-Australian continental shelves, the province has experienced more than 800 earthquakes within the last six months but only sixteen were strong. --Antara