JAKARTA -- A 6.3-magnitude earthquake rocked East Java province in the western part of Indonesia early Thursday left three people dead and scores of houses damaged, officials said.
The quake is not expected to trigger a tsunami warning and its epicenter is located 61 km northeast of Situbondo, It had a depth of 10 km under seabed, an official, Muhaimin, told Xinhua over phone.
Badly affected was Gayam sub-district of Sumenep district, leaving three people dead and scores of houses in the area were destroyed, spokesman of the national disaster management agency Sutopo Purwo Nugroho revealed.
"The victims were hit by the debris of collapsing buildings while they were sleeping and there was no chance to save themselves," he told Xinhua in a text message.
Assessment on further downside risks of the natural disaster is underway, Sutopo cited.
Indonesia is prone to quakes as it sits on a quake-affected zone called "the Pacific Ring of Fire." (Xinhua)
