Earthquake measuring magnitude 6.9 hits Indonesia

An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.9 struck an area 130 kilometres southeast of the Indonesian city of Palu on the island of Sulawesi, the US Geological Survey reported on Monday.

The Indonesian Agency for Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics said there was no threat of a tsunami following the quake.

The quake hit at a depth of nine kilometres (six miles) at 10:35 pm (1435 GMT), 80 kilometres southeast of the city of Palu, USGS said.

Muhammad Guntur, who lives on the outskirts of Poso, east of the epicentre, said it was felt strongly.

"People are panicking here. We are now all gathered outside of our houses," he told AFP.

"The electricity is off here." Indonesia sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire" where tectonic plates collide, causing frequent seismic and volcanic activity.

OneIndia News