In Indonesia, a moderate but shallow earthquake struck off the coast in the Molucca Sea today. The US Geological Survey said the quake with a magnitude 5.6 on the rchter scale struck at 4:46 am at a depth of eight kilometres and was centred 144 kilometres southwest of Ternate, Moluccas. There was no tsunami alert or immediate reports of damage. Indonesia sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire", where the meeting of continental plates causes high volcanic and seismic activity.