6.6 Earthquake Hits Central Indonesia, No Tsunami Alert

A 6.6-magnitude undersea earthquake hit central Indonesia on Friday, the U.S. Geological Survey said, but there was no tsunami alert and no immediate reports of damage or casualties.

The quake struck in the Flores Sea at a depth of 547 kilometers (340 miles), 151 kilometers northeast of Maumere, the largest town on Flores island, the USGS said.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said there was no threat of a destructive wave from the quake.

Indonesia sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire" where continental plates collide, causing frequent seismic and volcanic activity.

A huge undersea quake in 2004 triggered a tsunami that killed more than 170,000 people in Aceh province, on western Sumatra island, and tens of thousands more in other countries with coasts on the Indian Ocean.