A moderate earthquake struck off the Samoa Islands on Saturday morning, seismologists said.

The earthquake, which had a preliminary magnitude of 5.6, struck about 251 kilometers (156 miles) south-southwest of Apia, Samoa’s capital, at a depth of 31.5 kilometers (19.6 miles), according to the United States Geological Survey. It happened at 09.32 a.m. local time (20.32 UTC).

The earthquake, which was also located about 291.2 kilometers (181 miles) southwest of Pago Pago on American Samoa, had no tsunami potential due to its low magnitude. No damage or casualties are expected.

The region was struck by an 8.1 magnitude earthquake on September 29, 2009, unleashing a deadly tsunami that killed nearly 200 people and injured hundreds more.

The Samoa Islands region is part of the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, a region which is often struck by strong earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Most do not cause damage or casualties.

by BNO News

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According to reports, the tremors were felt for few seconds around 5.21 p.m.The epicentre of the earthquakewas reportedly near the Koyna Dam located between Chipnur and Karad.

The Konkan region consisting, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurga, Raigadh and Pune also experienced the minor tremor.

No damage to life has been reported till the reports came in. (ANI)

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Slight tremors were felt around 2135 hrs and all residents of Puttur town came out of their houses and still on the roads, one of the residents told UNI over phone.

The tremors lasted three seconds, the resident added.

Meanwhile, Puttur police Sub-Inspector Shiv Bhaskar Reddy said he did not feel any tremors and most of the residents in town who felt tremors ran out of their houses scrambling for cover.

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The quake struck at 12.36 p.m. local time (0336 GMT) and was centred in the sea about 123 km north-west of Manokwari on West Papua province, and occurred at about 56 km beneath the seabed, Indonesia’s National Meteorology and Geophysics Agency said.

There were no immediate reports of injuries or structural damage from the quake, the latest of a series earthquake to jolts Indonesia in recent days.

In West Sumatra, rescue workers intensified their search for survivors who were trapped under the rubble of collapsed buildings as hopes were slim in finding them alive four days after a powerful quake struck the province. The official death toll from Wednesday’s quake stood 548 late Saturday, with hundreds of others remained unaccounted for.

Indonesia, the world’s largest archipelago nation, sits along the Pacific Ocean’s “Ring of Fire”, where the meeting of continental plates causes high volcanic and seismic activity.

A major earthquake and subsequent tsunami struck in December 2004, leaving more than 170,000 people dead or missing in Indonesia’s Aceh province and half a million people homeless.

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