Strong earthquake rattles Indonesia’s Aceh province, damaging homes, injuring some

BANDA ACEH, Indonesia – A strong earthquake struck Indonesia’s Aceh province on Tuesday, damaging houses and injuring at least five people.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the magnitude 6.1 quake struck at a depth of 10 kilometres (6 miles) and its epicenter was located 55 kilometres (34 miles) west of the town of Bireun on the western tip of Sumatra island.

At least five people were reportedly injured and 10 houses were damaged in Takengon, the capital of Central Aceh district, said Sutopo Purwo Nugroho of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency.

“I see many houses were damaged and their roofs fell onto some people,” said Bensu Elianita, a 22 year-old resident in Bukit Sama village in Central Aceh district. “Many people were injured but it is difficult to evacuate them due to traffic jams.”

She said all people in the village ran out from their houses in panic and screamed for help. At least two houses were totally flattened, she said, adding that the quake also caused blackout in the village.

Indonesia is prone to seismic upheaval due to its location on the Pacific Ring of Fire, an arc of volcanoes and fault lines encircling the Pacific Ocean.

In 2004, a huge earthquake off Aceh triggered a tsunami that killed 230,000 people across Asia.