Strong earthquakes shook Indonesia, causing tsunami warnings

A 7.3-magnitude earthquake rocked the region off Indonesia's northern Aceh province, causing a tsunami warning. However, officials removed the warning a few hours later.

People fled the streets after a 7.3-magnitude quake struck about 420km southwest of Banda Aceh city. No damage has been reported.

Officials lifted the tsunami warning two hours later.

The epicenter of the earthquake is about 420km from Banda Aceh city.

The earthquake off Indonesia in 2004 caused a tsunami that killed 230,000 people around the Indian Ocean, half of them in Aceh.

The latest earthquake happened shortly after midnight local time and there was a seismic at a depth of 29.1 km, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said.

According to USGS, the magnitude 7.3 earthquake. Indonesia's earthquake agency initially estimated the geological intensity of the magnitude 7.6, but then reduced it to 7.1 on the richter scale.

In Banda Aceh city, sirens sounded from mosques and people ran out of their homes, waiting impatiently outside. Some people rush to the car or motorbike to move to higher areas.

Witnesses said about 100 people gathered on a bridge in the city to see if the earthquake caused any change in the height of the wave.

The patients at a hospital in Seumele town were evacuated.

Indonesia is located on the Pacific 'Ring of Fire' , where tectonic plates collide, causing frequent earthquake and volcanic activities.