JAKARTA, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- A 5.3-magnitude earthquake jolted Indonesia's eastern Papua province early Saturday, causing no casualties, according to the country's Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency.
The agency did not issue a tsunami warning, as the tremors were not expected to trigger giant waves.
The earthquake occurred at 01:32 a.m. Jakarta time on Saturday (18:32 GMT Friday), with its epicenter located 20 km southeast of Sarmi Regency at a depth of 10 km beneath the seafloor.
The intensity of the quake was measured at IV to V on the Modified Mercalli Intensity scale in Sarmi Regency. In the regency, the tremors were felt strongly, prompting residents to rush out of their houses, said Sesniwati, a senior staff member of the emergency unit at the disaster management and mitigation agency in Sarmi Regency.
"The residents felt the ground shake strongly, which prompted them to rush outside their houses. We panicked but did not scream. So far, we have not received any preliminary reports of damages or casualties," she told Xinhua via phone.
"However, assessments of the quake's risks are still being carried out," Sesniwati added.
Indonesia, an archipelago, is frequently struck by earthquakes due to its location within the vulnerable Pacific Ring of Fire. The country is also home to 127 active volcanoes with significant tectonic activity. ■
