A small earthquake hit the Indian Ocean 90 miles (145 km) southeast of the Mauritian island of Rodrigues on Wednesday but Mauritius's meteorology department said there was no danger of a tsunami.

"Tremors were felt on Rodrigues island but until now no damage has been reported. There has been no rise in sea level following the earthquake and there is no risk of a tsunami," Sudhir Beego of the Meteorological Services office told Reuters.

The earthquake registered 5.3 and occurred at 0420 GMT, the U.S. Geological Survey said. Its epicentre was recorded at a depth of 6.2 miles (9.9 km), 460 miles (740 km) east of the Mauritian capital Port Louis.

Rodrigues, a tiny Indian Ocean island fringed by coral reefs and azure waters, has a population of roughly 40,000 whose livelihoods depend on farming and fishing.



Reuters