Toba Samosir, N Sumatra (ANTARA News) - A magnitude-6.7 earthquake that hit Aceh Province, in the wee hour of Tuesday, forced residents of Balige, Toba Samosir District, North Sumatra Province, to rush out of their houses.

"The earthquake was felt very strongly that terribly shook the house`s wall made of plywood. We, the whole family members, immediately tried safe ourselves from a possible collapse of our house," Masrina Siahaan (51), a resident of Napitupulu neighborhood, Balige, said here on Tuesday.

She said her family and a number of other residents rushed out of their houses toward open area.

Electricity poles were also shaken and iron-sheeting roofs made loud noise due to the earthquake.

Belige residents could feel the tremor for around two minutes, she said.

Boru Pardede (40), another Belige inhabitant, said he was shocked when his bed was shaken very strongly. He and his family members hurriedly rushed out of their house toward the house`s front yard.

The earthquake, which occurred on Tuesday at 00.55 am local time, did not have potential to trigger a subsequent tsunami.

The quake`s epicenter was located at 2.81 degrees of northern latitude, and 97.85 degrees of eastern longitude, and 59 km northeast of Singkilbaru, Aceh Province, as well as around 78 km southwest of Kabanjahe, North Sumatra.(*)
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Editor: Jafar M Sidik
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