Tsunami Warning Issued As 7.3 Magnitude Earthquake Jolts Indonesia

After a 7.3 earthquake struck Indonesia which sees frequent volcanic eruptions and quakes, the USGS has sent out a warning of a tsunami.

New Delhi: The warning has been issued by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center the earthquake that struck Indonesia could cause hazardous tsunami waves. A 7.3 magnitude quake struck Indonesia, informed the United States Geological Survey reported AFP.

A 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck eastern Indonesia at 0320 GMT (8:50 am IST), USGS says, as monitors warn possibility of hazardous tsunami waves USGS says the quake struck around 100 kilometres north of the town of Maumere at a depth of 18.5 km.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said, "hazardous waves are possible for coasts located within 1,000 km (600 miles) of the quake epicentre".

The USGS said the chance of casualties was low while noting that "recent earthquakes in this area have caused secondary hazards such as tsunamis and landslides that might have contributed to losses", added the AFP report.

Indonesia experiences frequent quakes and volcanic eruptions due to its position on the Pacific "Ring of Fire", an arc of intense seismic activity where tectonic plates collide that stretches from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.

In 2004, a 9.1 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Sumatra and triggered a tsunami that killed 220,000 throughout the region, including about 170,000 in Indonesia.

One of the most recent earthquakes was in 2018 when a 7.5-magnitude quake and a subsequent tsunami in Palu on Sulawesi island left more than 4,300 people dead or missing.