Strong quake hits Andaman Islands

New Delhi: A strong 6.4-magnitude earthquake hit the Andaman Islands early Tuesday, seismologists said.

The quake struck at a depth of 127 kilometres, with the epicentre 120 kilometres from Port Blair on the Andaman Islands, which are located in the Indian Ocean.

The strong quake has a potential to create a local tsunami near the epicenter, the US Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said on Monday.

"A destructive widespread tsunami threat does not exist based on historical earthquake and tsunami data," the center said in a statement.

"However, there is a very small possibility of a local tsunami that could affect coasts located usually no more than a hundred kilometers from the earthquake epicentre.

"Authorities in the region near the epicentre should be made aware of this possibility," it added.