Magnitude 6.5 quake hits Bengkulu
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Tue, 01/18/2011 9:28 AM
A tectonic earthquake measuring 6.5 on the Richter scale rocked Bengkulu and its surrounding areas on Tuesday at 2:20 a.m., but no casualties were reported.
The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) issued no tsunami warning for the quake, which occurred at a latitude of 5.2 degrees South and longitude of 102.47 degrees East.
The epicenter of the quake was situated around 115 kilometers southwest of Bintuhan, Bengkulu, at a depth of 10 kilometers below sea level.
Residents rushed out of their homes at the onset of the quake, but returned shortly as there were subsequent tremors, a Bengkulu resident told Antara.
In 2000 and 2007, major earthquakes measuring 7.3 and 7.9 on the Richter scale struck Bengkulu, resulting in hundreds of casualties.
