Third Quake Hits Indonesia

The third powerful earthquake in two days jolted south-east Asia today, creating panic along Indonesia's west coast, which has already suffered major damage in two previous tremors.

The epicenter of the latest quake was 121 km (75 miles) north-east of Lais, Bengkulu province, and measured 6.8 on the Richter scale, according to Indonesia's meteorology agency. The earthquake triggered a regional tsunami warning, which was later lifted.

At least nine people have been killed and 49 hurt in the previous two tremors that caused tall buildings to sway in at least three countries, and sent panicked residents fleeing by foot, motorcycle and lorry.

All the deaths and injuries occurred in Indonesia, which was hit hardest by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. There was no immediate information on casualties in other countries.

The first of today's quakes measured 7.8 on the Richter scale, and rattled the same area of Sumatra as the first earthquake yesterday, causing extensive damage. "At least five large buildings - including mosques, houses and a school - collapsed," said Surya Budhi, who was overseeing emergency response in Padang, the capital of West Sumatra.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) said the second quake, centered about 200 km (125 miles) from the Sumatran city of Bengkulu, was six miles deep and struck at 6.49am local time (12.49am BST). Several strong aftershocks followed.

Yesterday's 8.4-magnitude quake was the biggest this year and prompted tsunami warnings for much of Asia and as far away as Africa.

After the first quake, many people refused to return to their homes, fearing a repeat of the 2004 earthquake off Sumatra. It triggered a tsunami that spread around the Indian Ocean, killing an estimated 230,000 people in a dozen countries, more than 130,000 of them in Indonesia's Aceh province.

An Australian seismologist said today the region was lucky to have escaped another devastating tsunami.

"There was a tsunami created by the earthquake, it just traveled in a southwest direction away from land," Mike Turnbull at Central Queensland University told Reuters.