Quake rocks Indonesia's Aceh
JAKARTA, Indonesia (CNN) -- A moderate earthquake rumbled off the western coast of Indonesia's Aceh province Tuesday morning, Indonesian officials said.
The quake hit at 9:29 am (0229 GMT) local time.
According to the country's geophysics and meteorological agency, the magnitude 5.6 quake was centered about 90 miles (150 km) southwest of the provincial capital Banda Aceh.
That is near the site of the deadly December 26 earthquake that was followed by massive tsunami.
The U.S. Geological Survey put the earthquake's magnitude at 5.4 and said the epicenter was about 60 miles (100 km) west-southwest of Banda Aceh.
Frightened residents fled homes and other buildings in Banda Aceh, though the quake did not appear to cause any damage in the city.
An Associated Press reporter said dozens of people fled from a five-story hotel in the city.
Aceh has experienced countless earthquakes since the massive tsunami-producing tremor off its coast on December 26.
The disaster killed more than 128,000 in Aceh and more than 40,000 in 10 other countries across the Indian Ocean.
Three months later, an earthquake caused extensive damage on Nias island, leaving more than 900 dead.
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton has been visiting Aceh in his capacity as U.N. special envoy for tsunami recovery.
On Monday he reviewed efforts to rebuild coastal areas in the province, where 128,000 people were killed and another half million left homeless by the December 26 disaster.
Many of the homeless said Monday they were still waiting for help from the government and international aid agencies.
"Please help Aceh to rebuild roads, houses, buildings," said Dadang Dipraja, 40, a resident of Deah Geulumpang, a town on the outskirts of provincial capital Banda Aceh, as he sat fishing in a river surrounded by destroyed buildings.
"But please don't give money to the government, because it will be lost to corruption."
However, Clinton praised government efforts to stop corruption, including the appointment of international accounting firms to ensure all donated aid was received. He urged survivors to be patient.
"I know there are many people in the camps we visited today and across the area hit by the tsunami who feel a great deal of frustration and who are eager to be able to move out of the tents and into their own homes," Clinton said after his tour.
But, he added, "a lot of good things are happening now. You have no starving or epidemics of disease among children ... those who need counseling are getting counseling, and more and more training for valuable skills is getting done."
He also welcomed ongoing talks in Finland between separatist Aceh rebels and the Indonesian government, saying peace was crucial to reconstruction.
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Associated Press contributed to this report.
