The Indonesian Meteorology, Geophysics and Climatology Agency, said an earthquake measuring 6.5 on the Richter scale has on Thursday rocked the western part of Sumatra Island.
It said the quake, according to a NAN report, occurred at 5:56 am with the epicentre 79 kilometres south-west of Pesisir Selatan district, at a depth of 72 kilometres.
A resident in Bukittinggi, West Sumatra province, whose name was given only as Epi, said the tremor was felt strongly there. (Many Indonesians go by only one name).
He said residents ran out of their homes and stayed outside for some time because they were afraid of an aftershock.
-NAN