Powerful quake strikes off Indonesia, no tsunami alert issued

JAKARTA -- A magnitude 7.3 earthquake jolted North Sulawesi province of central Indonesia on Tuesday, but was not potential for tsunami, a meteorology and geophysics agency official said.

The quake jolted at 1:13 pm local time (0713 GMT) with epicenter at 322 km north west Sangihe islands and the depth at 618 km under sea bed, the official told Xinhua by phone.

The intensity of the quake was felt at 2 to 3 MMI (Modified Mercally Intensity) in Bitung town and Manado city of the province and 2 MMI in nearby province of Gorontalo, the official said.

The USGS reported that the quake was at 6.9 magnitude.

Indonesia lies on a vulnerable quake-hit zone so called "the Pacific Ring of Fire," making it vulnerable to quake.