Jakarta/Washington  - An underwater earthquake early Sunday off the coast of eastern Indonesia registered a magnitude of 7.6 on the Richter scale, the US Geological Survey reported.

The quake struck at 4:43 am Sunday (1943 GMT Saturday) at a depth of 35 kilometres below the Earth's surface. The epicentre was located 150 kilometres west-north-west of Manokwari in Indonesia's Irian Jaya, or 623 kilometres north-east of Ambon in Indonesian Molucca.

There was no immediate tsunami warning issued. (dpa)