The quake, which was at a depth of 46 km, struck at 03:30 am (local time) about 195 km south of Manado in northern Sulawesi island area, the US Geological Survey was quoted as saying.

There was no immediate tsunami warning from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre.

Indonesia sits on the Pacific “Ring of Fire” where continental places meet, causing frequent seismic and volcanic activity.

The archipelagic nation was hardest hit by the earthquake-triggered Asian tsunami in December 2004 which killed an estimated 168,000 people in Aceh province.