Quake measuring 7.2 strikes in eastern Indonesia, local tsunami warning issued

– World news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community

PHUKET: A strong earthquake with a magnitude of 7.2 was recorded off the Moluccas in Indonesia at 9:31am today, the U.S. Geological Survey said, and a tsunami warning was issued for the area near the quake.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii said hazardous tsunamis were possible within 300km of the quake’s epicenter, located in the eastern archipelago of the country, more than 3,000km from Phuket.

The centre said there was no danger of a Pacific-wide tsunami.

The quake was measured at a depth of 47km, with the epicentre 134 km northwest of Ternate.

— Phuket Gazette Editors