Two quakes jolt Luwuk

KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara: An earthquake measuring 5.7 on the Richter scale jolted the Central Sulawesi town of Luwuk and its environs at 10:56 a.m. on Friday, causing panic among residents, Antara reported.

The head of the local meteorological and geophysical office, Fransisca Surti Priyani, said the quake's epicenter was beneath the Timor Sea, about 49 kilometers southeast of here and 33 kilometers below sea level.

No casualties or damage was reported.

The quake also registered on seismographs at geophysical stations in Waingapu, Ruteng and Malai.

This was the second quake to hit Luwuk in the last two days, with the town being rocked by a quake measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale at 1:46 p.m. on Thursday.

The epicenter of Thursday's quake was located in the Peleng Straits, about 327 kilometers east of the town and 33 kilometers below sea level.