Magnitude-6.0 quake strikes near Indonesian coast – USGS

A magnitude-6.0 earthquake struck not far from Nias Island off the western coast of Sumatra, Indonesia, according to the US Geological Survey, which put the tremor at a depth of 6.2 miles (10km).

The quake hit 80 miles (129km) off the west coast of Nias Island on Tuesday morning, the USGS reported. While Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency (BMKG) noted there is currently no tsunami risk, they warned residents to brace for possible aftershocks and estimated the initial quake to have been 6.4 in magnitude.

The jolt comes just days after another 6.0 magnitude earthquake rocked Java, Indonesia’s main island, killing at least eight people and damaging more than 1,300 buildings. That quake struck much deeper, however, at 51 miles (82km).

The Indonesian archipelago is a frequent site for earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions, situated along the Ring of Fire, a chain of volcanoes and fault lines across the Pacific Basin. A 6.2 magnitude quake in January killed 105 people, left nearly 6,500 injured, and displaced tens of thousands on Sulawesi island.

In 2005 Nias was rocked by one of the largest earthquakes in the history of Indonesia and the 21st century, measuring 8.6 magnitude. The tremor killed 915 people.

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