Earthquake in Maluku islands: 6.5-magnitude tremors felt, no major damage reported

Earthquake in Maluku islands: On Thursday, a strong 6.5-magnitude earthquake hit off the remote Maluku islands in eastern Indonesia, US seismologists said, but no tsunami warning was issued. As per the AFP reports, the quake struck about 37 kilometres northeast of Ambon in Maluku province at 8:46 am local time, at a depth of 29 kilometres, according to the US Geological Survey.

Neither any damage to the public property nor any casualty has been reported by the local administration. An AFP reporter in Ambon said that he was asleep with his family when suddenly the house started to shake, The quake was really strong. He said that they ran from their house and saw the neighbours fleeing too. Everybody was panicking he added. 

He said that multiple aftershocks have rippled across the area. As per the initial media reports, the quake struck offshore, but later analysis found it hit onshore, raising the potential for damage, according to Indonesia's national disaster mitigation agency.

When the earthquake took place, People were panicking and started to evacuate in some places. Indonesia experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity due to its position on the Pacific "Ring of Fire", where tectonic plates collide. 

In the month of August, five people died and several were injured after a powerful undersea earthquake rocked Indonesia's heavily populated Java island. Last year, a 7.5-magnitude quake and a subsequent tsunami in Palu on Sulawesi island left more than 4,300 people dead or missing. Reportedly, near 60,000 people are still living in makeshift accommodation nearly a year after the double disaster, the Red Cross said this week.