A powerful earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale jolted Labuha in South Halmahera, North Maluku province, at 9.50 a.m. local time on Sunday. Local meteorology and geophysics agency (BMG) spokesman Fauzi said the earthquake did not have potential to trigger tsunami or material damage. He said the epicenter of the earthquake was located at 1.58 degrees southern latitude and 128.20 degrees eastern longitude at a depth of 56 km under the sea level, or 268 km southeast of Sesepe in Obi island, 132 km southeast of Labuha, and 227 km northeast of Ambom island. The magnitude of the temblor was strong enough to be felt by the people in Masohi and Ambon in Central Maluku district, ANTARA reported. Fauzi said he had yet to obtain a report to Labuha about casualty or material damage but he continued to make coordination with various parties in Labuha. According to him, North Maluku was prone to powerful earthquake but it never caused tsunami. Indonesia is prone to seismic upheaval due to its location on the so-called Pacific "Ring of Fire", an area of volcanoes and fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin.
