A strong offshore earthquake registering 5.4 on the Richter scale hit the eastern coast of central Sumatra Monday, causing residents to flee their homes but there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties, the meteorology office said.
The earthquake, which hit at 4:16 pm (0916 GMT), was centered 46 kilometers (29 miles) under the floor of the Indian Ocean, some 129 kilometers (80 miles) southwest of Bengkulu city, agency official Hardiatno said in Jakarta.
Hardiatno said the quake was felt in Bengkulu but that there were no reports of damage or casualties.
Adrizal, an official with the Kepayang quake center in Bengkulu, told AFP that many people who felt the quake fled their homes.
"It scared people here because they are still traumatized from the 2000 quake" which killed 94 people and destroyed thousands of homes, he said.
The Hong Kong observatory registered the quake at 6.0 on the Richter scale.
Indonesia sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire", where the meeting of continental plates means seismic activity is common.
A geographical faultline runs parallel to the Indonesian island of Sumatra and tectonic activities along it have repeatedly led to strong earthquakes.
Source: Agence France-Presse
