Indonesia: Magnitude-7.7 Earthquake Occurs in Banda Sea

A magnitude-7.7 earthquake rocked eastern Indonesia early Saturday, the U.S. Geological Survey said. There was no danger of a tsunami. The quake struck at 0158 Saturday (1658 GMT Friday) in the Banda Sea, about 120 miles south of Ambon city, the USGC said on its Web site. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.

The quake's hypocentral depth was estimated to be 342 km (212 miles). The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said no destructive tsunami threat existed. Indonesia, the world's largest archipelago, is prone to seismic upheaval because of its location atop a volcanically active region known as the Pacific "Ring of Fire."


Source: USGS via Associated Press