Earthquake rocks Manado

Earthquake rocks Manado

MANADO, North Sulawesi: An earthquake measuring 5.3 on the Richter scale jolted several cities and towns in the province on Wednesday, including the capital city of Manado, as well as Bitung and Tondano in Minahasa regency.

No casualties or damage was reported following the tremor.

Head of the province's Meteorology and Geophysics Agency Suharjono said on Thursday that the quake's epicenter was detected at a depth of about 20 kilometers under the Maluku Sea, 160 kilometers from the city.

The office has recorded four similar quakes from the same epicenter over the past few months.

Suharjono said the quakes derived from a normal depth in the earth's crust, which does not normally cause heavy tremors or extensive damage. --Antara