Earthquake Jolts Indonesian Province of Maluku

An earthquake measuring 5.0 on the Richter scale jolted East Seram District in Maluku province at 11.39 am East Indonesia Standard Time on Thursday, local meteorology official reported. Ambon Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency spokesman Benny Sipolo said the epicenter of the temblor was located at 4.09 degrees southern latitude and 130.76 degrees eastern longitude at a depth of 10 kilometers below sea level, or some 48 kilometers northeast of Bula town. But he said there was no information, so far, about casualties or material damage from the earthquake. Located at the meeting point of three major plates of the Pacific, Indo Australia, and Eurasia, Maluku Province is prone to earthquakes and tsunamis, ANTARA reported.