Indonesian quake measures 7.4

Early Thursday morning, a strong earthquake rocked the western region of Java Island in Indonesia. The U.S. Geological Survey measured the magnitude of the quake and placed it at 7.4.

The quake’s epicenter was located some 286 kilometers under the sea, off the coast of West Java province. The depth of the quake ensured that there was little danger of it causing a tsunami in the Indian Ocean according to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.

In Indonesia’s capital, Java, about 100 kilometers east of the epicenter, people could feel the earth shaking.

“I am scared that the building could break down and hit us,” said a local resident, Ana, who lives in an apartment building.

As of yet, however, no injuries or damage has been reported.

Indonesia is in an area known as the Pacific Ring of Fire which is known for its high frequency of earthquakes due to the meeting of two continental plates. The Tsunami in December 2004 which was caused by a strong earthquake was responsible for the deaths of over 170,000 people in Indonesia.