Strong earthquake rocks Aceh province in Indonesia

A strong earthquake rocked Indonesia's tsunami-ravaged Aceh province on Wednesday, causing panicked residents to flee their homes and run to higher ground fearing a tsunami.

There were no immediate reports of serious damage or threat of tsunami.

The magnitude 5.6 quake was centered about 50 kilometers (30 miles) southeast of the provincial capital, Banda Aceh, Indonesia's Meteorology and Geophysics office said on its Web Site. "It caused panic among people. Some ran out of houses," said local seismologist Erida Wati, who had initially registered the quake at 5.3 before upgrading it. U.S. seismologists also put the quake at 5.6. State news agency Antara reported that scores of people ran to higher ground, fearing an impending tsunami.

Aceh, on the northern tip of Sumatra Island, has seen almost daily earthquakes since the massive temblor on Dec. 26 that produced a deadly tsunami, killing more than 176,000 people in 11 countries, reports the AP. I.L.

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