One killed, hundreds evacuated after M7.3 quake hits Indonesia

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At least one person was killed and hundreds were evacuated after a major 7.3-magnitude earthquake hit the remote Maluku islands in eastern Indonesia on Sunday, an official said.

The quake occurred at a depth of 10 kilometers in an area 168 kilometers south-southeast of the city of Ternate, said the U.S. Geological Survey.

Damages inside a house are pictured following an earthquake at Labuha in South Halmahera, North Maluku, Indonesia, July 14, 2019. / VCG Photo

A woman in South Halmahera, the area near the epicenter, died due to the quake, according to the country’s disaster mitigation agency.

Local disaster mitigation agency official Ihksan Subur told reporter that Hundreds of people are still sheltering in several schools, government buildings and higher grounds.

Locals rest outside a mosque after an earthquake hit South Halmahera, North Maluku, Indonesia, July 14, 2019. / VCG Photo

The quake was reportedly not in danger of triggering a tsunami.

Indonesia is prone to earthquakes, as it sits in the vulnerable quake zone known as the "the Pacific Ring of Fire."

(Top image: Villagers stay out of their homes following 7.3 magnitude earthquake in Labuha, North Maluku on July 14, 2019. /VCG Photo)

(With input from agencies)