PORT BLAIR, Dec 23 (Reuters) - Some Andaman and Nicobar islands residents fled their homes on Saturday when an earthquake rocked the Indian archipelago, reviving fears of the 2004 tsunami that hit the region, witnesses said. A meteorological official said there was no risk of tsunami from Saturday's earthquake. The Indian Meteorological Department in New Delhi said the quake, which measured 5.9 on the Richter scale, hit at 1:20 a.m. (1950 GMT on Friday). The epicentre was near Hut Bay, 116 km (72 miles) south of the capital Port Blair. The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake was a magnitude 6.1. A Reuters witness said Port Blair residents ran out of their homes. "Everyone is thinking of the same thing, will the same thing be repeated," said resident R. Babuyana in reference to the December 2004 earthquake, which triggered a tsunami that slammed into scores of islands. About 3,500 people out of the archipelago's 370,000 residents were killed or went missing in the tsunami and two years on, more than 9,700 families are still without permanent shelter. A police official in Port Blair said there were no reports of damage or loss of life in Saturday's earthquake. (additional reporting by Eric Beech in Washington)
