Earthquake in Aceh
Monday, 08 May, 2006 | 17:14 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Banda Aceh: The Southern coast of Aceh has been hit again by an earthquake, measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale.

The earthquake was felt by people in Aceh Barat all the way to Aceh Singkil and Simeulu Island.

However, the earthquake was not felt in Banda Aceh or Aceh Besar.

According to Syahnan, Head of the Aceh Meteorology and Geophysics Board, the earthquake occurred at around 8.43 WIB (Indonesian Western Time) and was centered in the sea about 40 kilometers South of Tapak Tuan city, South Aceh, with the coordinates of 2.97 North latitude and 97.20 East Longitude.

“The depth was 33 kilometers below sea level,” he said in Banda Aceh.

Syahnan went on to say that the earthquake was caused by a fracture in the earth's plate.

The quake is still related to the one measuring 8.9 on the Richter scale which caused the tsunami on December 26, 2004.

In Tapak Tuan and Aceh Singkil, the quake was strongly felt, at around Modified Mercally Intensity III.

The vibrations were felt for more than five seconds, however as yet there has not been any report of damage or victims.

Adi Warsidi