Reuters - A 5.1 magnitude undersea earthquake struck off the western Indonesian island of Sumatra on Thursday, but the state meteorology and geophysics agency said it would not generate a tsunami nor cause damage.

AFP - The drought gripping parts of eastern Australia for the past five years has worsened in recent weeks as rainfall during the southern autumn remained well below normal, the Bureau of Meteorology reported.

AFP - A strong earthquake measuring 5.9 on the Richter scale has struck the Indian Ocean between the Indonesian islands of Nias and Simeulue but there were no reports of damage or casualties, the meteorology and geophysics office here said.

Reuters - Hundreds of residents on Australia's remote northwest desert coast began mopping up on Friday after a powerful cyclone battered towns with destructive winds and torrential rain.

Reuters - Hundreds of people were evacuated and thousands more prepared to ride out a severe cyclone bearing down on the northwest Australian coast on Thursday, carrying winds of up to 155 mph.

Reuters - A powerful cyclone hit Australia's far northeast early on Monday near the tropical city of Cairns, with winds of up to 290 kph (180 mph) uprooting trees and ripping off the roofs of several houses.

AFP - A strong earthquake estimated at 6.4 on the Richter scale rocked several islands in the eastern Indonesian province of Maluku, the meteorology office there said.