5.8 Magnitudo Quake Hits Maluku

Jakarta (Antara) - An earthquake measuring 5.8 on the Richter scale rocked Maluku province on Friday night, according to the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG). The epicenter of the quake which struck at 10.54 western Indonesia time was located at 9.26 degrees southern latitude and 128.39 degrees eastern longitude or 274 km southeast of Maluku Barat Daya district at a depth of 10 km, the agency said. There was no immediate report of casualties or material damage. Indonesia sits on the so-called "Pacific Ring of Fire" where the meeting of continental plates causes high volcanic and seismic activity. Maluku province lies at the meeting point of the country`s two main chains of volcanoes. Early on Friday, a 5-magnitute earthquake also hit the province. The quake was centered 252 km northwest of Maluku Tenggara Barat district. (*)