6.6 magnitude earthquake hits Indonesia, no tsunami warning issued

Papua [Indonesia], October 16 (ANI): A strong earthquake measuring 6.6 on the Richter scale struck West Papua, Indonesia, on Thursday morning, according to the National Center for Seismology (NCS).

The quake occurred at 11:57 am (IST) with its epicentre located at latitude 2.26 degrees South and longitude 138.86 degrees East, at a depth of 55 kilometres beneath the surface.

So far, there have been no immediate reports of casualties or damage. Indonesian authorities are monitoring the situation closely, given the region's vulnerability to seismic activity.

The epicentre was about 200 kilometres from Jayapura, the capital of Papua province, The Jakarta Post reported. However, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center confirmed that no tsunami warning was issued following the quake.

Indonesia frequently experiences seismic activity as it lies along the Pacific "Ring of Fire," a region prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

Just last week, Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki volcano in East Nusa Tenggara erupted, spewing a 10-kilometre-high plume of ash illuminated by flashes of lightning, according to Indonesia's volcanology agency.

The 1,584-metre-high volcano, located on the island of Flores, erupted at 8:48 pm local time (1248 GMT). Officials said the eruption was triggered by a buildup of gas in recent weeks.

Earlier this month, another major eruption from the same volcano had forced the cancellation of several flights to and from the tourist island of Bali. (ANI)

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