6.3-magnitude quake hits Indonesia's Sulawesi: USGS

PALU, Indonesia - Agence France-Presse

AFP photo

A powerful 6.3-magnitude quake shook Indonesia's central Sulawesi province on Saturday, the US Geological Survey said, sending terrified residents fleeing into the streets.
 
The quake struck on land 56 kilometres (35 miles) southeast of the city of Palu at around 5:40 pm (0940 GMT) at a depth of 20 kilometres.
 
Residents near the epicentre in central Sulawesi districts of Parigi Moutong and Sigi reported around 15 seconds of violent shaking, with panicked residents running from their homes.
 
Herlina, a receptionist at the Tunas Harapan Hotel in the town of Parigi, told AFP the shaking sent guests running into the street.
 
"Everyone was scared... but everything's fine now. There was no damage to the hotel and I haven't seen any damage on the street," said Herlina, who like many Indonesians goes by one name.
 
The tremor was also felt in the provincial capital Palu, an AFP reporter said.
 
"We are sending a team into the (interiors) to see if there is any damage or casualties there," said Ramli Borman, head of the Parigi Moutong Disaster Mitigation Agency.
 
USGS initially reported the quake's magnitude at 6.6, while Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency measured it at 6.2.
 
Indonesia sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire" where continental plates collide, causing frequent seismic and volcanic activity.