Strong earthquakes hit Indonesia

Several people have been killed and many dozens injured after a series of powerful earthquakes hit eastern Indonesia. The strongest tremor, with a magnitude of 7.6, struck north of the city of Manokwari in West Papua province at 0443 on Sunday (1943 GMT). It was followed by another big quake and a string of aftershocks. A tsunami alert was issued by Indonesian authorities following the earthquakes, but withdrawn within an hour. Assessment teams and medical supplies are expected to arrive in the remote region, some 2,955km (1,830 miles) east of Indonesia's capital Jakarta, within the next 24 hours. The first quake struck on land about 95 miles (150km) north of Manokwari at a depth of 22 miles (35km), the US Geological Agency said. It was followed by another tremor and aftershocks.