6.2-magnitude earthquake strikes Indonesia

JAKARTA: A 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck off the western coast of Indonesia's Sumatra on Sunday, but there was no threat of a tsunami, meteorologists said.   

The earthquake, which hit at 9:51 am (0251 GMT), occurred at sea 28 kilometres (18 miles) southwest of the city of Mukomuko in Bengkulu province, at a depth of 55 kilometres.   

An official of the Indonesian Meteorology and Geophysics said in a text message that the quake had no tsunami potential.   

Residents in the town of Bengkulu had been conducted an evacuation drill when the quake struck, ElShinta radio reported.   

The earthquake rattled the same area hit in September by a massive 8.4-magnitude quake and a multitude of aftershocks that left 23 people dead.   

Sunday's quake was also felt in Jambi and Padang provinces, but there were no immediate reports of damage.   

The Indonesian archipelago sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where continental plates meet and cause frequent seismic and volcanic activity.   

Indonesia was the nation worst hit by the earthquake-triggered Asian tsunami in December 2004, which killed some 168,000 people in Aceh province alone.