An earthquake with a magnitude of 7.3 struck off the west coast of Indonesia's Northern Sumatra this evening, the US Geological Survey reported, but there were no immediate reports of casualties.
A tsunami warning was issued by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, and Indonesia also issued a tsunami warning but lifted it about two hours later.
The quake, which had a depth of 29 kilometres, hit at 2:37 am (7.30 p.m. in Malta) around 261 miles southwest of Banda Aceh, the capital of Aceh province on Indonesia's Sumatra island.
An official at Indonesia's Meteorology and Geophysics Agency said there were no immediate reports of casualties.
"The quake was in the sea and a tsunami warning is in force, but so far we have no reports of casualties or damage," Suharjono, the agency's technical chief, told AFP before the warning was lifted.
The agency initially reported a 7.6-magnitude quake, but later downgraded that to magnitude 7.1.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said the threat of a widespread tsunami did not exist but added: "There is a very small possibility of a local tsunami that could affect coasts located usually no more...
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