Jailolo: An earthquake measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale struck the town of Jailolo in North Maluku Province, Indonesia, on Thursday.
According to Qatar News Agency, Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency stated that the earthquake occurred 118 km west of Jailolo, at a depth of 42 km. Earthquakes frequently hit different parts of Indonesia, as it lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire, where several tectonic plates meet and cause frequent volcanic and seismic activity.
In 2004, a 9.1-magnitude earthquake struck Aceh province, triggering a tsunami that killed more than 170,000 people in Indonesia.