Moderate quake hits offshore Indonesia's Sumatra

WASHINGTON, July 30 (Reuters) A moderate earthquake of 5.7 magnitude rattled the Nias island area of Indonesia today. the US Geological Survey reported.

The epicenter was 170 km west of Sibolga, Sumatra and 270 km southwest of Medan, Sumatra, at a depth of 30 km. The quake hit at 0658 ist, the USGS said.

Earthquakes occur frequently near Indonesia, which lies on a seismically active stretch of the Pacific basin, know as the ''Pacfic Ring of Fire.'' A magnitude 6.1 earthquake hit offshore of the Indonesian island of Sumatra on Thursday.

REUTERS SP RAI1309