Powerful quake hits Aceh of western Indonesia, triggering damages

HONG KONG - A shallow-and-strong underearth quake of 6.4 magnitude rocked Aceh province earlier Wednesday, leaving houses and buildings damaged across the province, official said.

The quake jolted at 05 : 03 am Jakarta time Wednesday (2203 GMT Tuesday) with epicenter at 18 km northeast Pidie Jaya district and the depth at 10 km under land, an official of the meteorology and geophysics agency said.

The intensity of the quake was felt at 4 to 5 MMI (Modified Mercally Intensity) in Sigli town, and 3 to 4 MMI in Meulaboh town and provincial capital of Banda Aceh, the official said.

Houses, buildings and infrastructure facilities have been damaged in eight districts. Now we are assessing the impact of the quake, Junjung Tambunan, head of emergency department of the provincial disaster management said.

We are also preparing for the possibility of aftershocks, he added.