The earth shook in Indonesia. A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck the Moluccas islands in the east of the country on Tuesday, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said. The earthquake occurred off the coast of Halmahera Island in the North Moluccas province at 4:48 p.m. local time, at a depth of approximately 33 km. No damage or injuries were immediately reported.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said there was “no risk of a tsunami”. But the Indonesian Geophysics Agency (BMKG) warned the population of possible aftershocks.
Frequent seismic activity
Indonesia experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity due to its position on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” where tectonic plates collide.
In November 2022, a 5.6 magnitude earthquake struck the island of Java, killing 602 people. Most were killed by collapsing buildings or landslides caused by the quake.