Agency: Strong quake centered off Ternate

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Tue, 08/03/2010 8:24 PM

The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency confirmed that a magnitude-6.4 quake shook the ocean off Ternate in North Maluku on Tuesday.

Antara news agency reported that the quake struck at about 7 p.m. Jakarta time, as President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was visiting the province.

Epicenter of the quake was located 122 kilometers northwest of Ternate at a depth of 10 kilometers below the sea floor.

There were no immediate reports of injuries or damages resulting from the quake. Local authorities did not inform yet if the temblor was felt at Hotel Bella International, where the President received the Alam Ma Kokuta (guardian of the nature) title from Ternate sultan Sri Sultan Mudaffar Sjah.

Earlier, the US Geological Survey said the powerful earthquake had a preliminary magnitude of 6.5 and was centered off Sulawesi island.