Quake off Indonesia causes panic in East Timor

Jakarta: An undersea earthquake has rocked eastern Indonesia, causing panic among residents in neighbouring East Timor. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.

The US Geological Survey says the magnitude-5.7 quake that struck this evening was centered 202 kilometres east of East Timor`s capital, Dili, at a depth of 35 kilometres.

Witnesses in Dili say residents ran out of their houses in panic, with many staying outside in fear of aftershocks.

Indonesia`s Meteorology and Geophysics Agency put the quake`s magnitude at 6.2 with a depth of 10 kilometres.

Indonesia and East Timor are prone to seismic upheaval due to their location on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," an arc of volcanoes and fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin.

PTI