Magnitude 6.1 Quake Hits Mentawai

Jakarta (Antara) - A magnitude 6.1 earthquake hit Pagai Selatan in the district of Mentawai islands, Sumatra, at 12.05 pm on Saturday. "The epicenter of the quake was 36 kilometer deep in the sea, 149 kilometers southeast of Mentawai islands, West Sumatra, or 164 kilometers southwest of Muko-Muko, Bengkulu, or 184 kilometers southwest of Sungai Penuh, Jambi," the spokesman of the Natural Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), Sutopo Purwo Nuegroho, said. He said the quake had no potential to cause a tsunami. He said the intensity of the quake was strong in the village of Sinaka, Pagai Selatan sub-district, which is 30 kilometers away from the epicenter. Sutopo said the quake was felt weak in Sikakap, Mentawai islands and also in Pagai Utara while it was felt very weak in Padang and Pesisir Selatan. But it was felt quite strong in Muko-Muko and North Bengkulu for 10 to 15 seconds. "People went outside their homes but it had caused no damages. The local office of BNPB in Mentawai is still checking Pagai Selatan which is one of the Mentawai islands," he said. (*)