Indonesia lifts tsunami warning after 6.9 magnitude earthquake

Indonesian authorities have lifted a tsunami warning issued after a powerful earthquake measuring 6.9 on the Richter scale struck off the coast of Sumatra and Java on late Friday evening (local time).

Panicked residents had fled their homes as the quake hit, though there were no immediate reports of casualties, reported Al Jazeera.

"The early tsunami warning has ended," the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency said in a brief statement.

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the epicentre of the quake, which occurred at around 12:03 (UTC), was registered at a depth of 42.8 kilometres, south-west of Tugu Hilir, in the province of Banten, on the island of Java.

The country was previously hit by an earthquake measuring 5.5 on Richter Scale that struck off Indonesia's Ceram Sea-- a section of the Pacific Ocean forming one of the several small seas between Indonesia's islands--on July 22.