M6.5 quake hits Sumatra, Indonesia

JAKARTA - An earthquake measuring 6.5 Richter scale jolted West Sumatra, of Sumatra island on Friday, but no reports of damage or casualty, officials said here.

The USGS reported the quake was at 6.3 magnitude with the depth at 25 km under sea bed.  

The quake struck at 11:51 a.m. local time (0451 GMT) with epicenter at 162 km southeast Mentawai island of West Sumatra and with the depth at 83 km under sea bed, an official of the Meteorology and Geophysics Agency told Xinhua by phone.

The intensity of the quake was felt at 3 to 4 MMI (Modified Mercally Intensity) at Padang city, the provincial capital of West Sumatra, the official said.

The shakes of the quake was felt shortly by the people in Mentawai island but it did not cause any damage of fatality, an official at the National Disaster and Management and Mitigation Agency told Xinhua by phone.

Indonesia is vulnerable on earthquake as it lies on quake-hit zone so called "the Pacific Ring of Fire."