6.9-magnitude earthquake rocks coast of Indonesia

SUMATRA, Indonesia -- A large earthquake struck Wednesday off the coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.

The magnitude 6.9 earthquake hit about 5:29 a.m. and was centered 128.1 km (79.4 miles) west of Bengkulu, Indonesia, the agency said. Bengkulu, a provincial capital, has a population of about 300,000.


The earthquake had a depth of 10 kilometers (six miles).

In June, a magnitude 5.9 earthquake shook the Gulf of Tomini on the eastern side of Indonesia, but no serious damage or injuries were reported and no tsunami warning was issued.


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