7.4 magnitude earthquake shakes eastern Indonesia

A 7.4 magnitude earthquake has struck off the coast of Indonesia's South Sulawesi province, prompting people to evacuate homes and buildings.

The earthquake happened around 10.30 local time (03:30 GMT) on Tuesday and affected the East Nusa Tenggara region among others, officials said.

Indonesia issued a tsunami warning after the quake hit at a shallow 10km (6.5 miles) depth in the Flores Sea.

No injuries have been reported so far, though locals reported feeling tremors.

Videos on social media showed people in the city of Makassar running out of shops and buildings. There are reports that a hospital and hotel were evacuated.

In Larantuka, a city in the East Nusa Tenggara region, residents were said to have been in "panic".

"Everyone was shocked. They were running from their homes. Some were ready to run to the hills," Mr Takdir, a resident told BBC Indonesia.

However, he added that most people had now "returned to their normal activities", adding there was no sign of a tsunami.

Earthquakes are common in Indonesia as the archipelago lies on the "Ring of Fire", a curve of volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific Ocean.

Source: BBC