Padang (Indonesia), Feb 25 (AP) A strong and shallow earthquake hit off the coast of Indonesia's Sumatra island on Friday, killing 2 people and injuring 20, damaging buildings and panicking people in Sumatra island and neighboring Malaysia and Singapore.

The US Geological Survey said the earthquake measured 6.2 magnitude and struck about 66 km (41 miles) north-northwest of Bukittinggi, a hilly town in West Sumatra province. It struck about 12 km (7.4 miles) below the Earth's surface.

Also Read | Ukraine Faces Total Internet Blackout Amid War With Russia.

Suharyanto, head of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency, said at least two people were killed in West Pasaman district — the closest area to the epicentre — and 20 others were injured as dozens of houses and buildings reportedly collapsed. He said the earthquake has also triggered a landslide in the district.

Dwikorita Karnawati, head of Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency, said there was no danger of a tsunami but warned of possible aftershocks.

Also Read | Indian Students in Ukraine City Hide in Basement After Russian Invasion, Seek Evacuation.

Television reports showed the strong temblor sending streams of panicked people into the streets in Padang, the capital of West Sumatra province, and patients in a hospital at West Pasaman were being evacuated from the building.

People in neighbouring Malaysia and Singapore also reportedly felt the tremors. A video that circulated on social media showed residents gathered in streets after high-rises in Kuala Lumpur swayed for a few seconds. Witnesses reported seeing their doors and chairs shaking and photos and paintings fixed to the walls trembling.

Hamsuardi, the West Pasaman district head, said Friday's earthquake caused damage to dozens of houses and buildings, including his office. Authorities are still collecting information about the full scale of damage in the affected areas.

In January 2021, a magnitude 6.2 earthquake killed at least 105 people and injured nearly 6,500 in West Sulawesi province.

Indonesia has a number of seismic faults and is prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. A powerful Indian Ocean quake and tsunami in 2004 killed nearly 230,000 people in a dozen countries, most of them in Indonesia. (AP)

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)