Australia was rocked by 6.5 magnitude earthquake that struck off the coast of eastern Indonesia, US seismologists said. No tsunami warning was issued.
It rattled northern Australia and parts of Indonesia on Wednesday with residents in Darwin reporting widespread shaking, but there were no immediate reports of damage.
The undersea quake hit about 278 kilometres (172 miles) east-northeast of Dili in East Timor at a depth of 158 kilometres, the US Geological Survey said.
Australia's Northern Territory News said the quake was widely felt across Darwin and surrounding areas.
"We’re on the third floor and it gave us a shake,” said Darwin-based Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Chris Kent, who said the quake lasted several minutes.
Indonesia's disaster agency said residents in the southwest of the Moluccas island chain also felt the quake but there were no reports as yet of damage or casualties.
