An earthquake measuring 6.7 on the Richter scale shook Indonesia's West Sumatra province on Saturday afternoon.

The tremor was detected at 12:05 local time (0505 GMT) and felt in at least 10 towns in the province, local seismology staff Heru Nurman was quoted by the Antara News Agency as saying.

People in the provincial capital of Padang said the tremor lasted for about ten seconds.

Nurman said the quake was centered some 300 km off Sumatra's northern coasts.