Quake hits Sumatra, tremor felt in Singapore

Jakarta, Mar 6: An earthquake measuring 5.8 on the Richter scale shook Indonesia's Sumatra island today, panicking residents in West Sumatra province and sending slight tremors to neighbouring Singapore.

The United States Geological Survey said the quake's magnitude was 6.3 and its epicentre was around 420 km (260 miles) from Singapore.

The Indonesian national quake centre said the epicentre was 16 km west of the city of Batusangkar.

There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.

Callers told a Jakarta-based radio station that residents in several West Sumatra towns ran out of their houses when the quake was first felt.

Tall buildings in Singapore's business district swayed slightly, witnesses said, and the tremor was also felt in other parts of the island.

A spokesman for Singapore's Civil Defence said his office was aware of the tremor but had no idea what had caused it.

Reuters

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