Strong Earthquake Hits Indonesia's Sumatra, Kills Two

Strong earthquake hits Indonesia's Sumatra, kills two

Jakarta - An earthquake measuring 6.7 on the Richter scale rocked Indonesia's Sumatra island early Tuesday, killing at least two people, officials said.

The quake struck at 12:55 am (1755 GMT Monday) with an epicenter 59 kilometres north-east of Singkil Baru district in Aceh province, at a depth of 78 kilometres, according to the Meteorology, Geophysics and Climatology Agency.

Two people, including an 11-year-old boy, were killed by falling debris while several houses and other buildings were damaged, the National Disaster Management Agency said.

"We are still assessing the situation but communication is difficult because of the power outage," agency spokesman Sutopo Nugroho said.

Residents in Aceh's Meulaboh district fled to higher ground, fearing a tsunami.

"The quake was very strong," resident Iqbal Hamid said. "People panicked and ran out of their house as fast as they could."

A powerful quake off Sumatra on December 26, 2004 triggered a tsunami that killed 230,000 people in 11 countries bordering the Indian Ocean, including 170,000 in Aceh.

Patients at a hospital in Medan, the capital of North Sumatra province, also rushed out of the building in panic, Detik.com news website reported.

Tuesday's quake did not trigger a tsunami, and the Pacific tsunami Warning Centre said it was centred too far inland to cause one.

Indonesia sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a zone known for frequent volcanic eruptions and earthquakes.

-- The Nation 2011-09-06