Earthquake Rattles Indonesia, Kills Two

A 6.6 magnitude earthquake hit Indonesia Tuesday morning, killing at least two people on the island of Sumatra.

A 12-year-old boy who was lying in bed was crushed by falling debris, while a man died of a heart attack as he fled his home.

Many Indonesians still remember the December 2004 quake and following tsunami that killed a quarter million people, most of them in the Aceh province on the northern tip of Sumatra. While no tsunami warning was issued on Tuesday, many people fled from their homes and refused to return for hours.

The earthquake hit around 1 a.m. local time on the western island, its epicenter about 60 miles southwest of the capital of Medan. If it had been closer to the Indian Ocean, a tsunami would be more likely, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

On average, there have been 4.2 major earthquakes per year in Indonesia since 2000. In April, the country was hit by a 6.7 magnitude quake. There were no reported fatalities. According to the U.S.G.S., the western coast of Sumatra is one of Indonesia's most seismically hazardous areas.

The Sumatra quake was the most recent in a string of earthquakes reported across the globe in recent weeks. On Thursday, a 4.2 magnitude earthquake hit Los Angeles, California. The quake was felt across Los Angeles County, but so far no damage or injuries have been reported.

The prior Tuesday, Virginia was hit by a 5.9 magnitude earthquake that was felt as far north as Toronto, Canada and shut down nuclear power plants along the East Coast.