7 Jan 2009

Another big quake hits Indonesia

9:31 pm on 7 January 2009

Another sharp earthquake has struck Indonesia's Papua region where thousands of people continue to feel the aftershocks of Sunday's big tremors.

The latest earthquake measured 6.1 on the Richter scale.

Many residents are reported to be too frightened to return to their homes and are opting to stay in cramped makeshift shelters.

Hundreds of aftershocks have continued to rattle the area, which was hit by quakes measuring 7.6 that cut power and prompted a brief tsunami warning.

Reports say five people were killed in the quakes, which flattened hundreds of buildings.

West Papua governor Abraham Atururi says 14,000 refugees are in 17 camps in the provincial capital Manokwari.