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Friday, February 25, 2022, 13:03
Strong quake hits western Indonesia, killing at least 2
By Xinhua & Agencies
Friday, February 25, 2022, 13:03 By Xinhua & Agencies

This picture shows a damaged house after a 6.2 magnitude earthquake in Kajai village, West Pasaman on Feb 25, 2022. (IDENVI SUSANTO / AFP)

JAKARTA - At least two people were killed and dozens of others wounded as a 6.2-magnitude quake hit Indonesia's western province of West Sumatra on Friday, an official said.

Head of the Operation Unit of Disaster Management and Mitigation Agency of West Sumatra Province, named only Jumaidi, told Xinhua by phone that the quake also destroyed buildings and houses. 

The quake, which was on land at a depth of 10 km, was felt as far away as Singapore and Malaysia and strongly in the nearby cities of Padang in West Sumatra province and in Pekanbaru in Riau Province, witnesses said

Meanwhile, the country's geophysics agency BMKG said there was no risk of a tsunami.

READ MORE: 7.3-magnitude quake hits Indonesia, brings minor damages

The quake, which was on land at a depth of 10 km, was felt as far away as Singapore and Malaysia and strongly in the nearby cities of Padang in West Sumatra province and in Pekanbaru in Riau Province, witnesses said.

"We continue to monitor and advise people to remain on alert," Dwikorita Karnawati, the head of BMKG, told MetroTV.

"Because this is on land, and the scale is above 6, we are concerned that it could cause some damage."

In Pasaman Barat, about 17 km from the epicenter, a witness told MetroTV patients in a hospital were evacuated from the building.

Indonesia suffers frequent earthquakes, straddling the so-called "Pacific Ring of Fire", a highly seismically active zone, where different plates on the earth’s crust meets.

ALSO READ: Indonesian quake rattles residents, with only one hurt

Last month, a 6.6-magnitude earthquake struck off Java island, prompting some residents in the capital Jakarta to flee from buildings in panic.

A more powerful 7.4 magnitude in Flores Sea triggered a tsunami warning in December, though caused only minor damage.

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