The quake`s epicenter located at 8.73 degrees southern latitude, and 100.42 degrees eastern longitude, around 547 km southwest of Bintuhan, Bengkulu Province, and at a depth of 10 km below sea level, Head of the Kepahiang Meteorological, Climatology and Geophysics Office Dadang said here on Tuesday.
Bengkulu city`s residents did not quite feel the earthquake, which was felt strongly by inhabitants of Kaur District, Linau Village Head Surajuddin said.
"People living along the Linau coastal area rushed out of their houses in panic because of the earthquake, but after few seconds later, they went back," he said.
Bengkulu Province, which is prone to earthquake, was jolted by a 5.0-magnitude undersea earthquake before dawn on Sunday (August 14) but it did not cause a tsunami.
On August 9, a 5.3-magnitude earthquake shook Bengkulu province but there was no immediate report of casualties or material damage.
The province has been twice rocked by two powerful quakes since 2000. An earthquake measuring 7.3 on the Richter scale rattled the province in 2000, destroying thousands of house buildings, and killing hundreds of people.
Another powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.9 again rocked the province in 2007, leaving many house buildings damaged and tens of people dead.
Both quakes inflicted material losses totaling hundreds of billions of rupiahs to the local people.
Indonesia sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire" where the meeting of continental plates causes high volcanic and seismic activity.
(Uu.A001/HAJM/H-YH)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
