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2nd LD: Houses damaged after 5.6-magnitude earthquake hits western Indonesia

Xinhua, January 16, 2017 Adjust font size:

A shallow moderate earthquake with 5.6 magnitude rocked North Sumatra province in western Indonesia, leaving scores of houses damaged, the national meteorology and geophysics agency said on Monday.

The quake jolted at 7:42 p.m. Jakarta time (1242 GMT) with the epicenter 28 km southwest of Deli Serdang district and a depth of 10 km, an official of the agency said.

The intensity of the quake was measured at 3 to 4 MMI (Modified Mercally Intensity) in the area, the official said.

The center of the quake is about 33 km northeast Karo district where Mount Sinabung volcano, which is on the highest alert level, is located, spokesman of the national disaster management agency Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said.

"Hopefully the quake does not rise the seismic activity of the volcano. Several houses are damaged and electricity supply is cut," he told Xinhua.

Assessment of the impact of the quake is being underway, Sutopo added.

Indonesia lies on a quake-hit zone of "the Pacific Ring of Fire." Endit