Magnitude 6.5 quake hits off Sumatra

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A magnitude 6.5 quake struck 91 miles southwest of Padang in Sumatra, Indonesia, the U.S. Geological Survey reported on Sunday.

It said the quake, only 21.7 miles deep, occurred at 9:37 a.m. on Monday (0237 GMT).

The area, which is prone to quakes, has recently been rattled by a series of strong temblors. It was hit by a huge earthquake measuring more than 9 on December 26, 2004, causing a devastating tsunami and more than 230,000 deaths in countries across the region.

(Reporting by Sandra Maler)