JAKARTA: An earthquake measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale hit Padang, West Sumatra causing the residents of the Minangkabau town to panic and flee their homes and buildings.
The earthquake occurred at 2.55 pm local time, with the reported epicentre located nine kilometres south-east of Padang, with the depth of 10km.
According to the Indonesian Agency for Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics (BMKG), the quake which is the strongest so far is one of the six earthquakes that took place since 2.58 am.
The first quake was recorded at 2.58 this morning measuring 4.7 on the Richter scale and centred in Mentawai, West Sumatra and followed by a low-scale aftershock.
It has no potential tsunami threat.
So far, there has been no information or reports on property damage or casualties from the quake.