Powerful earthquake stuck eastern Indonesia, no damage reported

Jakarta: A powerful 6.5-magnitude earthquake struck off eastern Indonesia on Sunday, the United States Geological Survey said, but no tsunami warning was issued and there were no reports of casualties or damage.
The quake struck in waters near the remote Barat Daya islands in Maluku province at 8:52 pm local time, 411 kilometers east of Atambua and 425 kilometers south of Ambon, the USGS said.

It was at a depth of 132 kilometers. Amin Bin Tongke, search and rescue chief for Maluku province, told officials had not received any reports of casualties or damage.

“The quake is in a really remote area, near a cluster of small islands away from cities or towns, with a very small population,” he said.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center did not issue an alert. Indonesia sits on the Pacific “Ring of Fire” where tectonic plates collide, causing frequent seismic and volcanic activity.