A magnitude 6.1 earthquake has struck off the island of Sumatra, according to the US Geological Survey, rattling residents but causing no serious damage.
The quake yesterday originated offshore from Sumatra’s northeastern tip, authorities said, prompting people to flee outdoors in a region that frequently experiences devastating tremors.
“I was at home when it happened. The shaking was really strong,” 50-year-old Ahmadi, who, like many Indonesians, uses only one name, said by telephone from the small coastal town of Sinabang in the northernmost Aceh province.
“I panicked. We fled the house, but because the jolt was pretty short, things went back to normal,” he added, adding he could see “families running around here on the street”.
Rahmat Triyono, head of Indonesia’s BMKG earthquake and tsunami centre, said people on Simeulue island and the east-coast areas of Aceh would have experienced a strong tremor, with windows and doors rattling, walls creaking and possibly some broken glassware.
But he said there was no tsunami risk.
Weaker shaking was also felt in Sumatra’s northeast. — AFP
