An earthquake measuring 7.7 on the Richter scale struck off the northwestern coast of Indonesia's Sumatra island today, injuring 40 people and flattening dozens of houses and buildings, officials said.
Officials from Indonesia's Meteorology and Geophysics centre said the small island of Simeulue - about 275 km southwest of the North Sumatran capital of Medan - was among the hardest hit areas.
Simeulue Hospital official Dr Hanif said 40 people were injured in the quake, two of them critically.
"Only 12 of those 40 people have been hospitalised and two of them are in a critical condition," Dr Hanif said, adding dozens of homes and shops had been destroyed by the quake, which hit around 8.30 a.m. (1.30 a.m. Irish time).
Geoscience Australia said the quake measured 7.7 on the Richter scale and was centred under the Indian Ocean about 200 km southwest of Medan.