A powerful earthquake, measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale, has struck remote eastern Indonesia, damaging several buildings and leaving a teenage boy missing, after he fell into a river.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the quake hit inland in a mountainous area of Papua in the early hours, almost 250 kilometres west of the province's capital Jayapura at a depth of 52 kilometres, reported ABC News.
Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, disaster agency spokesman, said that the quake was felt 'very strongly' for four seconds and prompted residents to panic and rush out of their homes.
He said that rescuers were still trying to reach the area closest to the epicentre in Memberamo district, which could take several hours.
Both Indonesian authorities and the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre assured that there was no threat of any tsunami waves from the temblor.
Indonesia falls within the Pacific Ring of Fire, where tectonic plates collide and cause frequent seismic and volcanic activity.
