Powerful quake jolts Maluku

AMBON, Maluku: An earthquake registering 6.0 on the Richter scale jolted Maluku Tuesday, an official at the meteorology office in Jakarta said.

There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.

The epicenter of the quake, which struck at 2:41 a.m., was located some 20 kilometers (13 miles) south of the Maluku capital of Ambon, and 36 kilometers below the seabed, said Suharjono.

"There are no reports of damage, and there doesn't seem to be any damage in town," said Captain Hasbollah of the Ambon military headquarters.

Suharjono said the tremble was only capable of causing "light damage" given its magnitude and distance from Ambon.

Antara reported Ambon residents felt the jolt for some five minutes, and when the aftershocks occurred at about 8.30 a.m., New Zealand Ambassador Tim Groser was diving with 59 other tourists in Pintu Kota, Latuhalat village, Nusa Niwe.

As of Tuesday afternoon, 125 aftershocks had occurred. (swe)