A strong earthquake with a magnitude of 6.2 was recorded in eastern Indonesia, panicking residents who fled their rattling homes.

The earthquake, which struck at 2:04 p.m. (0604 GMT) was centered 261 kilometers south of the town of Raba on the island of Sumbawa, the United States Geological Survey said.

No serious injuries were immediately reported.

"The quake was shaking everything for a few seconds," said Raba police officer Brig. Saikhun, adding that the strong quake has sparked panic among the people.

Meanwhile, Indonesian Meteorology and Geophysics Agency seismologist Budi Waluyo announced that the quake had not been strong enough to trigger a tsunami.

Indonesia sits astride s a series of fault lines that makes the island nation prone to volcanic and seismic activity. A giant quake off the country on Dec. 26, 2004, triggered an Indian Ocean tsunami that killed 230,000 people, half of them in Indonesian Aceh.

MVZ/TG/JG