6.5-magnitude quake jolts Indonesia, no tsunami alert

An earthquake measuring 6.5 on the Richter scale jolted Indonesia on Monday, however, no tsunami alert was issued, according to a disaster management official.

The quake struck at 12.27 a.m., with the epicenter recorded at 146 km northwest Halmahera of North Maluku province and the shallow at 10 km under the seabed.

“However, we did not issue a warning for tsunami for this quake,” the official told Xinhua news agency.

The intensity of the quake was only felt 3 MMI (Modified Mercalli Intensity) in the province and Bitung of nearby North Sulawesi province, the official said.

Indonesia is prone to quakes as it lies on a vulnerable quake-hit zone called “the Pacific Ring of Fire”.