6.6-Magnitude Quake Strikes Off Indonesia: USGS

A 6.6-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Indonesia’s Java island early Tuesday, the United States Geological Survey said.

The strong tremble hit at a depth of more than 500 kilometers (300 miles), the USGS said, adding that there was “a low likelihood of casualties and damage”.

The quake struck 100 kilometers off the city of Batang around sunrise (2254 GMT Monday).

The Southeast Asian archipelago has frequent seismic and volcanic activity due to its position on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where tectonic plates collide.

In 2018, the 7.5-magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami on Sulawesi Island left more than 4,300 people dead or missing.

A devastating 9.1-magnitude quake struck off the coast of Sumatra in 2004, triggering a tsunami that killed 220,000 people across the region, including some 170,000 in Indonesia.