Indonesia lifts tsunami alert after powerful undersea quake
No damage reports come in after temblor strikes off Flores Island
JAKARTA: Indonesia lifted a tsunami alert Tuesday following a magnitude 7.3 undersea earthquake that struck off Flores Island, triggering panic in a region prone to fatal quakes but apparently causing no damage or casualties.
According to the US Geological Survey, the quake hit at a depth of 18.5 kilometers (11.5 miles) under the sea, and was located 112 kilometers (74 miles) north of the town of Maumere, the second-largest on the island in East Nusa Tenggara province with a population of 85,000.
After an initial tsunami alert, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii and later Indonesia's agency lifted the warning hours after the quake.
National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesperson Abdul Muhari said residents in the area felt the earthquake strongly. TV footage showed people running away from buildings that shook from the impact.
The chief of Flores Timur district, Anton Hayon, said no damage was reported.