Strong quake hits Indonesia's north Sumatra

JAKARTA, Dec 1 (Reuters) - A strong earthquake of magnitude 6.3 hit the northern part of Indonesia's Sumatra island on Friday, the U.S. Geological Survey said on its Web site, although no damage or casualties were immediately reported.
The epicentre of the quake, which struck at 10.58 a.m. (0358 GMT), was located 50 km (31 miles) south-east of the city of Medan at a depth of 215 km, the U.S. agency said.
Officials in Medan told Reuters the quake was not felt in the North Sumatra provincial capital, which is also Indonesia's third largest city.
The meteorology office in Aceh province on the northern tip of Sumatra originally measured it at magnitude of 6.6.
The quake was felt in at least two cities in that province but no damage had been reported, said Syahnan Sobri, head of the Aceh office.
"It felt like a big truck just passed by in Banda Aceh and Meulaboh. I am confused why a quake in North Sumatra could be felt in those cities when people near the epicentre were not affected," Sobri told Reuters by phone from Banda Aceh, about 500 km (310 miles) from the epicentre.
He said there was no risk of a tsunami being triggered by the quake.
Earthquakes occur frequently in Indonesia, which lies along the "Pacific Ring of Fire".
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