Shallow quake hits East Timor

JAKARTA: A shallow earthquake measuring just one kilometre deep rattled East Timor early on Wednesday, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said.

The epicentre of the 5.6-magnitude quake, which hit at 5:43 am (2143 GMT Tuesday), was 45 kilometres (28 miles) south of the capital Dili, USGS said.

East Timor sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire", where the meeting of continental plates causes high volcanic and seismic activity, and the archipelago is frequently struck by powerful earthquakes.