Magnitude 7.7 earthquake strikes off the coast of Indonesia

A powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake has struck off the coast of Indonesia, The U.S. Geological Survey says the quake hit Indonesia’s Flores region with a depth of 10 kilometers at 5:58 a.m. Saturday Indonesia time

JAKARTA, Indonesia -- A powerful magnitude 7.7 quake has struck off the coast of Indonesia, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

The quake hit Indonesia's Flores region with a depth of 10 kilometers at 5:58 a.m. Saturday Indonesia time. It's epicenter was 68 kms (42 miles) north-northwest of the city of Ende.

Indonesia, a vast archipelago of more than 17,000 islands, is prone to earthquakes and volcanic activity because of its location on the “Ring of Fire,” an arc of volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific Basin.