At least 20 killed in Indonesia's strong quake

JAKARTA -- More than 20 people were killed and dozens others were injured with massive buildings and infrastructure facilitates damaged after 6.4-magnitude quake hit Aceh province in western Indonesia earlier Wednesday, Heni Nurmaini, a press officer for emergency at the provincial disaster agency told Xinhua by phone.

The quake jolted at 05 : 03 am Jakarta time Wednesday (2203 GMT Tuesday) with epicenter at 18 km northeast Pidie Jaya district and the depth at 10 km under land, an official of the meteorology and geophysics agency said.

The intensity of the quake was felt at 4 to 5 MMI (Modified Mercally Intensity) in Sigli town, and 3 to 4 MMI in Meulaboh town and provincial capital of Banda Aceh, the official said.

Houses, buildings and infrastructure facilities have been damaged in eight districts. "Now we are assessing the impact of the quake", Junjung Tambunan, head of emergency department of the provincial disaster management said.

We are also preparing for the possibility of aftershocks, he added.