Magnitude of 6.6 earthquake hits Indonesia, no tsunami warning issued

General An earthquake of magnitude 6.6 struck off the western coast of Sumatra Island in Indonesia was reported on Thursday by the United States Geological Survey.

An earthquake of magnitude 6.6 struck off the western coast of Sumatra Island, Indonesia on Thursday, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

The island grapples with a natural disaster, along with a tropical cyclone which comes amid a period of severe weather challenges in Indonesia, which recently experienced floods and landslides in North Sumatra province which led to the death of at least 28 people.  

Rescue efforts are underway and also took a major hit because of the worsening conditions of roads and communications, an official told Reuters news agency.  

The quake was 25 kilometres deep which struck Simeulue island, the USGS said.  

The quake was notable but did not trigger tsunami warning, which is a concern in the seismologically active region.