6.3 quake strikes off Indonesia coast

An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.3 struck off the eastern Indonesian coast Monday evening, the US Geological Survey said, but no tsunami alert was issued and no damage was reported.

The epicentre of the quake, which occurred at 6:43 pm Monday (1143 GMT), was located in the Banda Sea 139 km (86 miles) southeast of the town of Ambon, the USGS reported. It took place at a depth of 34 km.

"There was no tsunami warning issued. It was felt moderately in Ambon city and Banda island," Agung Utomo from the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency told AFP.

He said there were no reports of damage so far.

Indonesia sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire" where continental plates collide, causing frequent seismic and volcanic activity.

An 8.7 earthquake that struck west of Indonesia in April was the biggest of its kind ever recorded and confirms suspicions that a giant tectonic plate is breaking up, scientists said last month.-Yahoo News (October 09, 2012)