An earthquake measuring 5.6 on the Richter Scale shook parts of Maluku province on the first day of the new year on Thursday, Antara reported. Information from the Meteorology and Geophysics Agency (BMG) in Jakarta on Thursday said the quake did not have the potential to trigger tsunami. The epicenter of the quake which struck at 10:44 local time was located at 6.98 degrees southern latitude and 130 degrees eastern longitude at a depth of 14 km below sea level. The temblor happened about 166 km southwest of Saumlaki, Maluku or 320 km eoutheast of Tual and 541 km southwest of Kaimana, Papua. Last Monday, a 5.1 magnitude earthquake also jolted the waters northeast of Saumlaki at a depth of 49 km. Indonesia sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire" where the meeting of continental plates causes high volcanic and seismic activity. Maluku province lies at the meeting point of the country`s two main chains of volcanoes.
