Konawe Selatan administration spokesman Muhammad Isra said here Monday afternoon the houses and other buildings were badly damaged by the strong shock waves.
But there had been no reports on fatalities but the villagers panicked almost beyond control especially those living in the coastal areas, not to mention rumors that the quake may be followed by a tsunami.
Isra said the strong quake had also disrupted the normal operation of ferry boats plying the route from and to Torobulo Konawe Selatan to Tampo port in Muna regency.
"Today there were supposed to be four ferries on the occasion of the 47th anniversary of Southeast Sulawesi, in which many motorized vehicles are crossing to Baubau," he said.
But due to the quake about 65 kilometers south of Kendari, only two ferry boats are operated at Torobulo.
The head of BMKG in Kendari Suwardi had said that the quake was not strong enough to trigger a tsunami.(*)
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Editor: Jafar M Sidik
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
