KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 7 — A strong earthquake, with a magnitude 6.5 on the Richter scale, occurred near Northern Molucca Sea at 1.27am today, according to the Malaysian Meteorological Department.

In a statement issued today, it said the epicentre of the quake was 189km north of Ternate, Indonesia.

The quake, however, did not pose any tsunami threat to Malaysia, it added. — Bernama