Earthquake of 7.3-magnitude hits Indonesia, no tsunami threat

An earthquake of magnitude 7.5 struck in a remote area of Indonesia in the Banda Sea on Monday, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said, but there were no initial tsunami warnings.

The quake hit at a depth of 208 kilometers (129 miles) south of Ambon island at 11:53 local time, the US Geological Survey said.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said there was no threat of a tsunami as the quake was too deep.

The Banda Sea quake was recorded minutes after a 6.1 tremblor in a thinly populated area 233 kilometers (144 miles) west of Papua province's Abepura town, at a depth of 20 kilometers (12 miles).

Rahmat Triyono, Indonesia's head of earthquake and tsunami center, said the Papua quake was followed by several smaller aftershocks, but there is no immediate report of major damage or injuries.

Indonesia is prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions due to its location along the Pacific "Ring of Fire." A powerful Indian Ocean quake and tsunami in 2004 killed a total of 230,000 people in a dozen countries, most of them in Indonesia.