The Manokwari Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency said the tectonic quake hit the district`s area at 09.51.47 local time with epicenter in the sea, 1.14 degrees south latitude and 134 degrees east longitude, around 31 kilometers southeast of Manokwari at a depth of 10 kilometers.
"No cause for worry. The quake is minor and will cause no tsunami," Denny, head of the agency, said.
He said in the past several weeks, a number of quakes rocked the regions. Earlier this week, quake with a magnitude of 2.6 on the Richter scale also jolted neighboring area of Sorong with epicenter in the sea 59 kilometers northeast of the city of Sorong.
On the same day, another 3.3-magnitude earthquake hit the Bintuni Bay with epicenter in the sea 39 kilometers southwest of Bintuni at a depth of 10 kilometers.
In West Papua Province, almost all faults in the earth`s crusts are active shifting frequently.
"This is good. It is even dangerous when the faults, which hold energy, are restricted such as by rocks. The energy will increase and the explosion can be disastrous when the energy, at last, cannot be held by the rocks," Denny said.
Since January 2018, there have been around 100 minor quakes recorded in West Papua with epicenters largely in the sea.
Reporting by Toyiban, Albert Saragih
Editing by Rahmad Nasution
Reporter: Antara
Editor: Suharto
Copyright © ANTARA 2018
