Papua hit by quake

A MAGNITUDE 7.0 earthquake rocked eastern Indonesia yesterday, damaging several buildings and leaving one person missing. No tsunami warning was issued after the quake, which struck inland in a mountainous, jungle- clad area of Papua province that is sparsely populated. The tremor hit about 9.30am almost 250km west of the provincial capital Jayapura at a depth of 52km, the US Geological Survey said. Two houses, a hospital and a warehouse in Kasonaweja city suffered minor damage and one person was missing after being swept away by a river. Rescuers were still trying to reach the area closest to the epicentre, the spokesman said.