( dpa ) - A strong earthquake struck the western coast of Indonesia's Sumatra island on Friday, but there were no immediate reports of damage and structural damage, a seismologist said.
The quake, measuring 6.3 on the Richter Scale with an epicentre in the Indian Ocean off the western coast of Bengkulu province, struck at 2:29 pm (0729 GMT), Indonesia's National Meteorology and Geophysics Agency reported. It was located about 75 kilometres south-west of Mukomuko district city, at a depth of 10 kilometres.
There were no tsunami warnings issued nor immediate reports of injuries or structural damage following the quake. "The quake was not strong enough for a tsunami," said Andi, a seismologist with Indonesia's National Meteorology and Geophysics Agency.
Jakarta based Elshinta radio reported, the quake shook Mukomuko district for about 5 seconds, prompting residents to flee from their homes.
On September 12, a powerful 8.4-magnitude quake hit western Sumatra, killing at least 24 people and injuring scores of others. It was followed by a series of strong aftershocks and prompted several tsunami warnings.