Indonesia lifts tsunami alert after powerful undersea quake

By EDNA TARIGAN
Associated Press

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesia has lifted a tsunami alert following a magnitude 7.3 undersea earthquake that struck off Flores Island, triggering panic in a region prone to fatal quakes. One person was reported injured and hundreds buildings damaged when the quake hit Tuesday at a depth of 11 miles under the sea, north of the town of Maumere, the second-largest on the island. After an initial tsunami alert, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii and later Indonesia’s agency lifted the warning. The National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesperson said residents in the area felt the shaking strongly. TV showed people running away from buildings. An official says tsunami drills contributed to public readiness to respond to real events.