Magnitude 5.7 earthquake shakes part of eastern Indonesia

An undersea earthquake shook part of eastern Indonesia on Sunday, but there were no immediate reports of serious damage or casualties.

The US Geological Survey said the 5.7-magnitude quake struck about 158 kilometres (98 miles) off Laikit village in North Sulawesi province. It said the quake was centered about 30 kilometres (18.6 miles) beneath the sea.

The Indonesian Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysical Agency, which put the quake at 5.9-magnitude and 10 kilometres (6.2 miles) depth, said the quake was unlikely to trigger a tsunami.

Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis because of its location on the “Ring of Fire,” an arc of volcanoes and fault lines that arcs the Pacific, frequently strike Indonesia, a vast archipelago of 270 million people.

In February, a magnitude 6.2 earthquake killed at least 25 people and injured more than 460 in West Sumatra province. In January 2021, the same magnitude earthquake also killed more than 100 people and injured nearly 6,500 in West Sulawesi province.

Associated Press