7.4 magnitude earthquake hits Indonesia's west coast, tsunami warning issued

JAKARTA: A strong earthquake measuring 7.4 on the Richter scale struck the west coast of Indonesia on Friday, triggering a tsunami warning.

According to Indonesia's Meteorology and Climatology Agency BKMG, the 7.4 magnitude quake struck at a shallow depth of about 10km offshore, some 147km from Sumur, southwest of the capital Jakarta.

A tsunami warning has been issued for the coastal areas of Banten, West Java, Lampung and Bengkulu, the agency added.

People have been urged to move to higher ground. 

However, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said that a 6.8-magnitude strong earthquake struck Indonesia's west coast just after 8 AM ET. 

According to the US agency, the epicenter was 65 miles from the city of Tugu Hilir in the province of Banten, on the island of Java.

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After the earthquake struck, tremors were felt in Indonesia's capital city of Jakarta, prompting people to run out of their homes.

There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties. 

The epicenter was 147 km southwest of Sumur, Banten, with a depth of 10 km, The Jakarta Post said.

The official Twitter account of the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) confirmed in a tweet that there was a 7.4-magnitude earthquake, said Jakarta Post.

The BMKG has issued a tsunami warning, it added.