Earthquake jolts off central Indonesia

A 5.8-magnitude earthquake struck off Indonesia’s Central Sulawesi province early Saturday (December 7), without generating significant waves, Xinhua reported quoting the country’s meteorology, climatology, and geophysics agency.

The tremor occurred at 00:14 a.m. Jakarta time on Saturday (1714 GMT Friday), with the epicenter located 73 km northwest of Buol Regency at a depth of 21 km beneath the seabed, the agency reported.

The quake’s intensity was recorded between III and IV MMI (Modified Mercalli Intensity) in Buol Regency and Tolitoli Regency, it added. No tsunami warning was issued, as the earthquake was not expected to trigger large waves.

“So far, there are no preliminary reports of damage or casualties caused by the tremors, but a risk assessment is ongoing,” M. Ihsan, a senior official of the local disaster management agency, told Xinhua.

Located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, Indonesia frequently experiences seismic activity due to its position in an earthquake-prone and volcanically active region, which includes 127 active volcanoes.