6.5 magnitude earthquake strikes off India's Nicobar islands

 A 6.5 magnitude earthquake struck off India's Andaman and Nicobar Island archipelago on Friday, the country'sMetereological Department reported.The quake occurred at a depth of 10 kilometres, according to dpa.A disaster management official responsible for the islands said thatno damage had been reported, adding that wave activity in the regionindicated that no significant tsunami was being created.He said that no public warning had been issued, but that theauthorities were on alert.The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are an archipelago of over 500 islands, only 34 of which are permanently inhabited.Many of the islands were devastated during the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami.