Magnitude 6.0 Earthquake Jolts Southwest Maluku

Jakarta (Antara) - An earthquake measuring 6.0 on the Richter Scale jolted southwest of Southeast Maluku, on Wednesday, at 4:35:58 p.m. Western Indonesian Time (GMT+7). According to the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), the epicenter of the earthquake was located 120 kilometers southwest of Southeast Maluku District, Maluku Province, or 6.81 degree Southern Latitude and 132.44 degree Eastern Longitude, at a depth of 10 kilometers. The earthquake had no potential to generate a tsunami. Head of Data and Information Center of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) Sutopo Purwo Nugroho noted that the tremors of the earthquake were not felt in Southeast Maluku District, but it strongly jolted Saumlaki District for three seconds. "The region is frequently hit by earthquakes as it is located on the active subduction of the Indian-Australian plate and the Eurasian plate," Nugroho emphasized. (*)