Quake strikes off Maluku

Wed, 09/17/2008 10:25 AM | The Archipelago

AMBON, Maluku: A 5.8-magnitude earthquake struck off Maluku province on Tuesday but there was no threat of a tsunami and no immediate reports of damage, seismologists said.

The quake hit at 10:12 am 148 kilometers northwest of Ambon in Maluku province, the Indonesian meteorology and geophysics agency said.

It was registered at a depth of 35 kilometers.

"There are no reports of damage so far," said agency geologist Bagio, adding that no tsunami warning had been issued. Indonesia was the nation worst hit by the earthquake-triggered Asian tsunami in December 2004, which killed 168,000 people in the country's Aceh province.

The Indonesian archipelago sits on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, where continental plates meet causing seismic and volcanic activity.--JP

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