Panic as quake shakes eastern Indonesia

A strong earthquake has jolted eastern Indonesia, causing panic but no major damage.

The US Geological Survey said the quake measured magnitude 6.7 and was centred 108 kilometres north of Dobo in Maluku province. It was at a depth of 24km.

The quake was followed by two aftershocks, both measuring magnitude 4.9.

Indonesia's meteorology and geophysics agency put the preliminary magnitude at seven and said there was no tsunami.

A district government office in Dobo, the closest village to the epicentre, suffered some damage but the extent was unclear, said agency official Subagyo, who like many Indonesians uses only one name.

Dobo resident Victor Siahaya said the strong earthquake shook everything in his house. He and his family ran outside.

"It was so strong ... many people were screaming while running in panic," he said. "But I don't see any damage in my neighbourhood."

Indonesia, the world's largest archipelago nation, is prone to seismic upheaval due to its location on the Pacific ring of fire, an arc of volcanoes and fault lines.

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