7.1-Magnitude Earthquake Hits Southern Indian Ocean: USGS

Hyderabad, Dec 5: US seismologists announced that a 7.1 magnitude earthquake had struck in the southern Indian Ocean early today. They, however, said there was no immediate sign of a tsunami. The tremor is believed to have struck at 6:24 am, at least 3,100 km southwest of Perth in Australia, the US seismologists said. The epicentre was at the Southeast Indian ridge, which is a tectonic plate boundary that is located along the sea floor of the southern Indian Ocean.