5.9-magnitude earthquake strikes Indonesia's Aceh province; no casualties reported

The earthquake, originating 362 km east of Sinabang, a coastal town in Aceh, was reported as a strong and shallow undersea tremor.

The U.S. Geological Survey provided details, indicating that the earthquake occurred at a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles). Despite the intensity, there have been no immediate reports of significant harm or casualties.

Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysical Agency assured the public that there is no risk of a tsunami. However, the agency cautioned about potential aftershocks and initially estimated the earthquake's magnitude at 6.3. It is common for early measurements of earthquakes to vary.

Indonesia, with a population exceeding 270 million people, frequently faces seismic and volcanic activities due to its location on the "Ring of Fire" — an arc of volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific Basin.

This recent earthquake follows a magnitude 5.6 tremor on November 21 in West Java's Cianjur city, which claimed the lives of at least 331 people and left nearly 600 injured. It marked the deadliest seismic event in Indonesia since the 2018 quake and tsunami in Sulawesi, where around 4,340 people lost their lives.

Recalling the devastating 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, an event of extraordinary magnitude triggered a tsunami that resulted in the loss of over 230,000 lives across a dozen countries, with a significant toll in Indonesia's Aceh province. (ILKHA)