- Thousands of panic-stricken residents packed roads in Banda Aceh to flee to higher grounds after a magnitude 7.2 earthquake rocked the Aceh provincial capital on Sunday afternoon.

Most of the residents came from coastal areas such as Lampulo and Ulee Lheu devastated in a magnitude 8.9 undersea quake and subsequent tsunami on December 26, 2004. They intended to flee to higher grounds in Lambaro area located 10 km from the coast.

There was no immediate report of casualties or material damage. But many roads in the provincial capital were congested following the quake.

The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) said in an official website the epicenter of the quake which struck at 12.59 western Indonesian time on Sunday was in the sea 66 km southwest of Meulaboh in West Aceh district at a depth of 30 km.

The quake had the potential to trigger a tsunami, the agency said.

Several residents monitored the sea water level following the magnitude 7.2 quake from Krueng Cut bridge located about 2 km from the coast.

An ANTARA journalist observed tsunami early warning system (TEWS) sirens did not sound when the quake occurred.