Quake strikes off Indonesia coast

An earthquake measuring 7.3 has struck near the Indonesian island of Sulawesi the US Geological Survey said.

The quake struck in the Molucca Sea at 1927 (1127 GMT), some 160km (99 miles) south-east of the city of Manado.

Indonesian officials put the quake strength at 6.5 and said it could pose a tsunami risk.

Indonesia was the worst-hit country in the Indian Ocean tsunami of December 2004, which killed more than 160,000 people in Aceh province.

A spokesman for the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said there were dangers of a “localised” tsunami, stretching from 100-200km (62-124 miles) from the epicentre.

The Associated Press news agency reported a witness on Sulawesi as saying that at least three residents were injured by the quake.

The earthquake was centred some 51km (32 miles) under the sea.

Source: bbc.co.uk