Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

At least three die in Indonesian earthquake

Updated at 7:23 pm on 19 August 2012

A powerful 6.3 magnitude earthquake has shaken the eastern Indonesian island of Sulawesi, killing at least three people and seriously injuring a dozen others.

The quake struck on Saturday night near the mountainous districts of Parigi Moutong and Sigi in Central Sulawesi province, where panicked residents ran from their homes into the streets as the ground shook violently for around 15 seconds.

The US Geological Survey said the quake struck at a depth of around 20km, 56km southeast of the provincial capital Palu, where residents also felt the tremor and ran from their homes.

A National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman said 12 people have been seriously injured and 40 homes are damaged.

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