WASHINGTON, Sept 12 (Reuters) - A powerful quake that struck Indonesia's South Sumatra area had a magnitude of 7.9, the U.S. Geological Survey said on Wednesday. It said the quake was centered 117 miles (189 km) northwest of Bengkulu and 139 miles (224 km) southeast of Padang in Sumatra. It was very shallow, at only 6.2 miles (10 km) deep. The USGS initially reported the quake at magnitude 8 but later verified it at 7.9.
