Severe Quakes Shake Indonesia

Two high-magnitude earthquakes shook a far eastern region of Indonesia today. There were no immediate reports of casualties.

The quakes occurred in the far east province of Irian Jaya, the most remote of the quake-prone Indonesian archipelago.

The United States Geological Survey in Washington said the first quake struck at 3.44 a.m. with an estimated magnitude of 6.3. At 8.53 a.m., another quake of 7.1 magnitude jolted the area, the geological survey said.