Earthquake hits Indonesia amid commemorations for Bali bombing victims

GlobalPost

A 6.7-magnitude earthquake has shaken eastern Indonesia as a memorial service was being held for victims and survivors of the 2002 bombings in Bali.

The quake struck at 11:31 a.m. local time and was centered near the south coast of Papua, according to the US Geological Survey.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said there was a "very small possibility" of a tsunami near the epicenter, 50 miles north-northwest of Dobo on the Aru islands, according to Radio Australia.

Residents of the northern Australian city of Darwin reported feeling tremors.

Meanwhile, thousands of people were attending commemorations to mark the 10th anniversary of the twin Bali bombings, Australia's ABC News reported.

The blasts, planned and carried out by Islamic terrorists from the Al Qaeda linked militant group Jemaah Islamiyah, tore apart bars in the island's Kuta region killing 202 people, including 88 Australians, 28 Britons and seven Americans.

Australia's prime minister Julia Gillard dismissed an active terrorist threat to attend a service on the island, as did the prime minister at the time of the bombings, John Howard.

Indonesia deployed a 1,500-strong security force to patrol the event and surrounding areas.

More from GlobalPost: Bali on high alert over terror threat on bombings anniversary, Indonesia says

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