The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Wed, June 8 2016
An earthquake measuring 6.5 on the Richter scale hit Ternate in North Maluku at 4:15 a.m. local time on Wednesday, damaging dozens of homes and a house of worship.
Ternate Mayor Burhan Abdurahman said the worst affected area was Batang Dua district, where dozens of buildings were severely damaged.
“I have instructed all district heads to collect data and information about the damage and immediately make reports to the Ternate administration,” Burhan said as reported by tempo.co.
Rescue teams were preparing to immediately depart for locations affected by the earthquake, the mayor said, adding that sea transportation was also being readied to distribute aid to victims.
Suwardi, head of the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency in Ternate, said the epicenter of the earthquake was 124 kilometers northwest of Ternate, at a latitude of 1.37 degrees north and a longitude of 126.37 degrees east, 13 kilometers below the sea.
Tremors were felt in Manado, Tondano and Bitung in North Sulawesi.
“The quake will not cause a tsunami,” Suwardi added.
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