MALUKU HIT BY 6.8-MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE

Jakarta, Feb. 16 (ANTARA) - An earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale hit northwest Saumlaki, Maluku Province, on Tuesday at 4.51 am Western Indonesian Time (WIB).

The quake's epicenter was located 7.66 degrees southern latitude and 128.98 degrees eastern longitude, at a depth of 106 km below sea level, around 262 km northwest of Saumlaki, or 391 km northeast of Timor Lester.

Earlier, a 5.2-magnitude temblor jolt Ternate, North Maluku in the wee hour of Tuesday.

The temblor's epicenter was located 1.82 degrees northern latitude, 127.26 degrees eastern longitude, at a depth of 55 km below sea level, and 116 km northwest of Ternate.

Reports on casualties or damages are not yet available.