MALUKU, PAPUA JOLTED BY EARTHQUAKES

Bandarlampung, Dec 12 (ANTARA) - Earthquakes with different intensities jolted Maluku in eastern Indonesia and Papua on Satruday morning.

The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) reported that an earthquake measuring 5.2 on the Richter scale was felt by the people in Tual, Southeast Maluku at 4 a.m. local time on Saturday.

The epicenter of the earthquake was located at 4.54 degrees southern latitude and 131.41 degrees eastern longitude at a depth of 16 km below sea level, some 191 km northwest of Tual.

It was also located 204 km northwest of Fakfak and 279 km northwest of Kaimana in West Papua, 374 km southeast of Ambon, and 381 km northeast of Saumlaki in East Southwest Maluku district.

Less than four hours later at 8:00 a.m., another earthquake measuring 5.0 on the Richter also rocked Sorong in West Papua but there was no immediate report on casualties or material damage caused by the two consecutive temblors.

According to BMKG, the epicenter was located at 0.38 degrees southern latitude and 132 degrees eastern longitude at a depth of 10 km below sea level but had no potential to trigger a tsunami.

The epicenter was located some 146 km northeast of Sorong, 179 km northwest of Manokwari, 284 km northeast of Fakfak, 391 km northwest of Kaimana, and 405 km northwest of Biak.

Indonesia is prone to seismic upheavals due to its location on the so-called Pacific "Ring of Fire", an area of volcanoes and fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin.

Last Thursday, December 10, 2009, two earthquakes with different magnitudes also jolted Sinabang and Meulaboh in Aceh province, and Saumlaki in Maluku province.

But the earthquakes in Aceh and Maluku did not have a potential to cause tsunamis, fatalities, nor material damage.