7.3-magnitude quake hits off eastern Indonesia, minor damages reported

JAKARTA - A earthquake measuring 7.3 magnitude hit the Banda Sea in the eastern part of Indonesia on Thursday with minor damages reported, according to the country's Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG).

The BMKG said that two houses collapsed and some other minor damages were reported in Southwest Maluku, but the quake triggered no tsunami.

The earthquake took place at 1:25 a.m. local time with the epicenter in the sea at a distance of 132 kilometers east of Tiakur city in Southwest Maluku district, Maluku province and at a depth of 183 kilometers under the seabed, the BMKG's Head for Earthquake and Tsunami Center Bambang Setiyo Prayitno said in a written statement on Thursday.

The agency recorded three aftershocks with the largest measuring 5.2 magnitude.

The agency called on people to keep updating information from reliable sources, and to avoid cracks or damaged buildings caused by the earthquake.