Strong quake hits off Indonesia's West Papua province
Posted: 04 January 2009 0412 hrs

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MANOKWARI, Indonesia - A powerful 7.6-magnitude quake struck at sea off Indonesia's West Papua province early Sunday, the United States Geological Survey said, sending residents scurrying for high ground.

The quake, which hit at a shallow depth of 35 kilometres (22 miles), struck at 4:43 am (1943 GMT Saturday), about 150 kilometres northwest of Manokwari, the USGS said.

A tsunami alert was issued by the Indonesian Meteorology and Geophysics Agency (BMG) but was later withdrawn.

Distressed residents ran out of their homes as the quake rattled Manokwari, the seaside capital of the province, but there were no immediate reports of heavy damage or injuries, an AFP correspondent in the town said.

Thousands of residents including children and the elderly could be seen thronging the roads of the blacked-out town and heading away from the sea despite the tsunami warning being lifted.

Little damage could be seen initially in the town apart from cracked walls.

"The quake was quite strong and we felt it for about three minutes. The electricity blacked out after the quake so we haven't been able to check buildings for damage here yet," a policeman who identified himself as Ketut said.

"The police and military are working right now to help people get to higher ground due to the tsunami alert and the fact that we're on the coast," he said.

A smaller 5.1-magnitude quake also struck deep underground off Manokwari at 6:14 am as well as a 5.6-magnitude quake an hour earlier off the town of Labuanbajo on Flores island, the BMG said.

No tsunami alert was issued for either quake.

Indonesia, which sits at the meeting of continental plates, is frequently hit by earthquakes and tsunamis.

The deadly earthquake-triggered Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004 killed at least 168,000 people in the country's Aceh province and Nias island.

- AFP /ls