AN earthquake measuring 6.1 magnitude hit Papua in eastern Indonesia today, said US seismologists, but no tsunami warning was issued.

The quake hit about 240km west of the town of Abepura in Papua province at 10.05am local time, at a depth of 21km, said the US Geological Survey.

There were no immediate reports of casualties.

A shallower 6.3-magnitude quake hit the area last week, but the damage was not extensive.

Indonesia experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity due to its position on the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, where tectonic plates collide.

Last year, a 7.5-magnitude quake and a subsequent tsunami in Palu on Sulawesi Island killed more than 2,200 people, with a thousand more declared missing.

On December 26, 2004, a 9.1-magnitude quake struck Aceh province, causing a tsunami and killing more than 170,000. – AFP, June 24, 2019.