Tsunami alert as quakes rock Indonesia

By Chandni Vasandani

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AA) - An earthquake recorded at 7.3 magnitude on the Richter scale shook Tasikmalaya, West Java late Friday evening.

The Indonesian meteorology agency said the quake occurred at 11.47 p.m. local time, 105 kilometers underwater with an epicenter 43 kilometers southwest of the city of Tasikmalaya.

Officials have warned local residents of a potential tsunami as the first quake was followed by another a few seconds apart, roughly at the same location.

Indonesia is no stranger to earthquakes of varying intensities, with the last major quake recorded at a magnitude of 9.3 occurring in 2004, causing a massive tsunami and killing thousands.