Indonesians rush uphill after 6.1 magnitude quake near Moluccas

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JAKARTA — Hundreds of people near Indonesia’s Moluccas islands rushed to higher ground on Wednesday after an earthquake of magnitude 6.1, fearing aftershocks and a possible tsunami.

The quake struck at a depth of 19 kilometers (11 miles). There were no immediate reports of casualties.

Indonesia’s Meteorology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) urged people in a text message to move away from beaches and seek higher ground, noting that the warning applied especially to Seram Island.

BMKG had initially said a tsunami triggered by the movement of tectonic plates was unlikely – but then said one could still be triggered by underwater landslides, of which there would be no warning.

Keep on reading: Indonesians rush uphill after 6.1 magnitude quake near Moluccas