BANDA ACEH: At least 18 people lost their lives and over a dozen are trapped inside their homes after a strong earthquake struck Aceh province in Indonesia´s Sumatra Island on Wednesday, officials said. According to local officials, the quake struck the Muslim majority area when people were preparing for the morning prayers. “According to latest data received from hospitals, eighteen people have died and majority of the fatalities are children,” said Pidie Jaya deputy district chief Mulyadi. As per information from US Geological Survey (USGS), the magnitude of the earthquake was 6.5 on the Richter scale while the epicentre was just north of the small town of Reuleuet. The USGS also confirmed that there was no tsunami alert in the region. It is pertinent to mention that more than 170,000 people lost their lives only in Indonesia and thousands more in other countries due to the 2004 Tsunami that stuck the Indian Ocean.