In Brief: Quake triggers small tsunami near eastern Indonesia

JAKARTA, Indonesia – A strong undersea earthquake hit eastern Indonesia today, triggering a small tsunami and some panic but no casualties or major damage.

The 7.1 quake occurred west of Halmahera island, which is about four hours’ flight from the capital, Jakarta.

Indonesia’s meteorological agency said a tsunami wave of 3.54 inches washed onto the small island of Jailolo but caused no damage. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center later lifted its advisory for potential hazardous waves for coastal communities.

The quake was strongly felt in several cities in eastern Indonesia, sending many people running from homes and other buildings, officials and residents said.

The world’s largest archipelago, Indonesia is prone to earthquakes due to its location on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” an arc of volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific Basin.

In 2004, a monster quake off the tip of Sumatra Island triggered a tsunami that killed 230,000 people in a dozen countries. Most of the deaths were on Sumatra.

Bombings kill dozens in Baghdad

BAGHDAD – Iraqi hospital and police officials say a car bomb went off in a busy market area in northern Baghdad, killing 15 people and injuring 34.

The death toll from the blast in the Gorayaat area took to 34 the total number of people killed in bomb blasts on Friday. It was the largest of four bombings in and around the city on Friday, mostly targeting Shiite areas.

The total number of injured now stands at more than 80, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.