5.1 RS Magnitude Quake Jolts Maluku

Ambon (Antara Maluku) - An earthquake measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale shook Seram Bagian Barat district in Maluku province at dawn on Thursday but it caused no material damage.

The epicenter of the quake which struck at 03.32 a.m. local time was in the Seram Sea 82 km southwest of the provincial capital Ambon at a depth of 10 km, according to the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG).

The quake was not significant enough to cause a tsunami, the agency said.

"Thank God the quake neither caused material damage nor claimed casualties. But the local residents must stay alert for a tectonic quake which can occur any time because Maluku is one of quake-prone province," Secretary of the Maluku Provincial Disaster Mitigation Board (BPBD) Kifly Wakanno said on Thursday evening.

An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.1 is considered moderate and capable of causing considerable damage.