6.6 magnitude earthquake hits Indonesia; no tsunami warning issued

Jakarta: The United States Geological Survey (USGS) informed that Indonesia's eastern region was hit by a 6.6 magnitude earthquake on Tuesday. However, the agency has not issued any tsunami warning, Agence France-Presse reported.

There were no immediate reports of injuries or damages after the quakes.

USGS said that the earthquake off Halmahera island in North Maluku province at 0948 GMT at a depth of around 35 kilometres.

There was no threat of tsunami from the quake in the Molucca Sea, according to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre. However, Indonesia's geophysics agency (BMKG) warned residents in nearby areas of potential aftershocks.

Indonesia is located in the Pacific "Ring of Fire" region, where there is intense seismic activity due to the collision of tectonic plates. The region stretches from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin. Therefore, the Indonesian archipelago experiences frequent earthquakes.

In 2021, the Sulawesi island shook to a magnitude of 6.2 and killed more than 100 people. It also imparted severe damages, leaving thousands homeless. In 2018, a 7.5 magnitude earthquake was followed by a tsunami in Palu on this Island and killed more than 2,200 people.

Indonesia's Aceh province was hit by a 9.1 magnitude earthquake in 2004, triggering a tsunami and killing more than 1,70,000 people.

Last week, Taiwan was hit by a 7.2 magnitude earthquake, killing at least 10 people and injuring a hundred others. The earthquake, which hit the mountainous Hualien County of Taiwan, was the strongest in 25 years to hit the country. Visuals of the disaster appeared online, which showed buildings shaking, bridges swaying, and people running for cover. Some buildings were seen leaning at severe angles, and the ground floors were ruined.