Two consecutive earthquakes, respectively measuring 5.6 and 4.8 on the Richter scale, jolted the city of Padang in West Sumatra on Saturday, ANTARA quoted Padang Panjang Meteorology and Geophysics Agency (BMG) spokesman Dedi as saying. He said the temblors were strong enough to startle the city's presidents and to make them scramble out their homes for fear of being hit by falling debris. The epicenter of the first quake which hit at 2.17 p.m. local time was located at 2.48 degrees southern latitude and 99.89 degrees eastern longitude at a depth of 29 kilometers under the sea level. About two hours later, the second earthquake occurred at 1.98 degrees southern latitude to 100.6 degrees eastern longitude at a depth of 19 kilometers. Earlier, on Friday morning at 6.55 local time, a tectonic earthquake measuring 5.8 on the Richter scale at a depth of 27 kilometers also rocked West Sumatra's western coastal areas. Padang Panjang Meteorology and Geophysics Agency (BMG) spokesperson M Fitri said the temblor was powerful enough to prompt Padang city residents to rush out of their homes so as not to be trapped inside. The quake's epicenter was located at 2.67 degrees southern latitude and 99.37 degrees eastern longitude, or 294 kilometers northwest of Muko-muko district in Bengkulu province. But Fitri said there was no immediate report of casualties or material damage. On Wednesday afternoon, at least two people were killed and 51 others injured in Simeulue Timur district, Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam province, when a 6.6 magnitude earthquake jolted the region. The fatalities were identified as Sadiman Kimat (62) and Habisah (70) who were hit by falling debris in their house , head of Simeulue district's Social Affairs Office, Zulmufti, said in Banda Aceh on Thursday.
