Strong aftershock rattles Aceh

Strong aftershock rattles Aceh

Agencies, Banda Aceh

A strong aftershock measuring 5.3 on the Richter scale jolted the
tsunami-devastated province of Aceh on Wednesday but there were
no immediate reports of casualties or damage, meteorologists
said.

The brief offshore quake occurred at 7:25 a.m. in the Indian
Ocean 74.9 kilometers (46 miles) southwest of Banda Aceh, Syahnan
of the Aceh Meteorology and Geophysics office was quoted by AFP
as saying.

More than 230,000 people are believed to have died in the
province when a magnitude-9.0 earthquake unleashed a tsunami that
devastated the coastline on Dec. 26, 2004.

Aceh has been hit by more than 200 aftershocks in the seven
weeks since the disaster, although most have registered under
five on the Richter scale.

There was no threat of a tsunami from the latest quakes.

Also on Wednesday, a magnitude-6.2 quake struck at 10:42 p.m.
local time, jolting parts of the Talaud Islands in North Sulawesi
province, Riadi, an official in the provincial capital of Manado,
told AP.

The quake was centered beneath the Maluku Sea, about 340
kilometers (210 miles) northeast of Manado, added Riadi.

"It jolted Talaud and was even felt in Manado," Riadi said.
"We have not received reports of damage or casualties, and
hopefully there was no impact."

The Hong Kong Observatory registered the quake at a 6.4
magnitude.

Riadi said the 5.0-magnitude aftershock came at 10:57 a.m.
local time (0257 GMT) Wednesday, and also was centered beneath
the Maluku Sea, about 200 kilometers (124 miles) northeast of
Manado.

The world's largest archipelago nation, Indonesia is prone to
seismic activity due to its location on the so-called Pacific
Ring of Fire. Earthquakes are caused by massive friction between
tectonic plates shifting deep below the archipelago.