Jakarta - A powerful earthquake shook buildings and panicked residents across a large swath of western Indonesia on Friday, officials and witnesses said. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.

The quake had a preliminary magnitude of 6.6 and was centered underneath northern Sumatra province, said Indonesia's Meteorological and Geophysical agency.

The temblor was felt in several towns and cities in the region and lasted around five seconds, witnesses told el-Shinta radio.