Indonesian earthquake sparks mass panic
Pastor Dale Morgan
*Indonesian earthquake sparks mass panic*
From correspondents in Jakarta
January 07, 2008 05:25pm
Article from: Reuters
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A 6.2 magnitude undersea quake jolted eastern Indonesia today, damaging
some houses and sparking panic among residents but causing no deaths.
The US Geological Survey placed the strong quake, shallow at only 35 km
deep, at an epicentre at eight kilometres north of the coastal town of
Manokwari in Indonesia's West Papua province.
The quake hit at 12.12pm local time (1412 AEDT).
"There are several houses on fire, but we don't know yet how many
exactly,'' Fauzi, head of the Meteorology and Geophysics Agency's
earthquake centre, said.
"The quake could have caused a short connection that ignited fire or
stoves in use (which) may have been tipped over.''
Fauzi said the quake, which caused widespread panic among residents,
also caused cracks in many houses and building in Manokwari.
Elshinta radio reported that people rushed out of their homes in panic
towards higher ground, although no tsunami warning was issued.
Indonesia sits on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, a very active
seismic region where several tectonic plates meet, and is subjected to
frequent tremors.