A strong 6.4 magnitude earthquake hit Indonesia's Sumatra island near Aceh province on Thursday, according to the National Center for Seismology (NCS). According to the NCS, the epicenter of the earthquake was reported at a depth of 10 kilometers in the Indian Ocean.
The tremors were felt throughout the region. However, officials have confirmed that there is no threat of a tsunami following this earthquake. No deaths or property damage have been reported so far.
Indonesia, situated along the geologically active Pacific "Ring of Fire," faces significant risk from frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
Landslides, flash floods on Sumatra island leave at least 23 dead
At least 23 people have been killed and dozens missing in the flash floods and landslides triggered due to torrential rain in the North Sumatra province. Rescue teams were struggling to reach affected areas in 11 cities and districts of North Sumatra province after the monsoon rains over the past week caused rivers to burst their banks, tearing through hilly villages as mud, rocks and trees tumbled down, leaving destruction in their wake, as mudslides that covered much of the area, blackouts and lack of telecommunications were hampering the search efforts, the National Search and Rescue Agency said in a statement.
Floods had cut off a bridge in Mandailing Natal and submerged hundreds of houses in the hilly district and its neighbouring Padang Sidempuan city, while a main road was blocked by mud and debris on Nias island.
Videos on social media show water cascading down rooftops as panicked residents scramble for safety. In some areas, flash floods rose rapidly, transforming streets into raging torrents carrying tree trunks and debris.
Heavy seasonal rain from about October to March frequently causes flooding and landslides in Indonesia, an archipelago of 17,000 islands where millions of people live in mountainous areas or near fertile floodplains.
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