The quake which occurred at 06.36 p.m. was centered 24 km southwest of Pariaman town in West Sumatra or around the Mentawai strait at a depth of 22 km, the West Sumatra Office of the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) said.
The quake was not significant enough to trigger tsunami.
The temblor was also felt by people living as far as Alahan Panjang in Solok town, West Sumatra.
There was no immediate report of casualties or material damage.
But the quake prompted some residents of Padang city to stay outdoors for fear that a ruin of buildings would fall on them.
Local resident Doris said he was staying on the second floor of his house when the quake occurred.
"At that time I was about to take ablution for Maghrib evening prayers at a mosque near my house," he said.
West Sumatra was rocked by a powerful quake with a magnitude of 7.9 on the Richter scale on September 30, 2009, leaving scores of people dead and destroying tens of house buildings.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
