Earthquake hits Sumatra

A strong earthquake hit near the Indonesian island of Sumatra today, Hong Kong seismologists said.

The 6.8-magnitude tremor’s epicentre was about 74 miles southwest of Padang, a city in western Sumatra, the Hong Kong Observatory said.

The quake was recorded at 10.35am Irish Time, it said.

Tremors from the earthquake were felt in several areas surrounding the Malaysian city of Kuala Lumpur, national meteorological chief Chow Kok Kee told TV 3 news.

Chow however said the earthquake was not strong enough to trigger tsunami, but authorities were on alert.