A 5.6-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Indonesia’s eastern Maluku province early Monday, but authorities confirmed that no tsunami was triggered, and there were no reports of serious damage or casualties, reports Xinhua/ BSS.
The tremor hit at 01:42 a.m. local time, with the epicenter located 63 kilometers southeast of Maluku Tengah Regency, at a depth of 10 kilometers. The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency reassured the public that the earthquake did not pose a significant threat to coastal areas.
Sandhy Luhulima, a senior official from the provincial disaster management agency’s emergency unit, assured that there was no major impact from the quake. “It is confirmed that there was no serious damage or casualties,” Luhulima said in a phone interview with Xinhua.
Indonesia, located within the Pacific Ring of Fire, is highly prone to seismic activity due to its position along major tectonic plate boundaries. The nation, home to 127 active volcanoes, frequently experiences earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
Despite the region's high seismic activity, the earthquake's moderate strength and lack of a tsunami threat were a relief to local authorities and residents, who are always on alert for potential natural disasters.
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
