A strong earthquake caused tall buildings to sway in the Indonesian capital today, sending panicked residents fleeing to the streets just days after a deadly tsunami struck the main island of Java in which 550 people have been reported killed so far. There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties from the new quake.

The 6.0-magnitude quake was centered beneath the Sunda strait, the US Geological Survey said on its website, and struck 90 miles southwest of Jakarta. Suharjono, head of the earthquake division at Jakarta’s meteorological agency, said that based on the initial estimate of today’s quake strength, it was not strong enough to trigger a tsunami.

The shock sent hundreds scrambling for high ground. Rescuers pulled bodies from the debris and aid trickled into worst-hit Pangandaran town while a search continued for about 275 people still missing after the tsunami smashed into a 300 km stretch of coast along southern Java. Indonesian media questioned why there was no warning ahead of Monday’s killer waves despite regional efforts to set up early alert systems after the massive Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004. The Jakarta Post said in an editorial the disaster agency had done ‘‘nothing of note to increase people’s preparedness for disasters.’’

Indonesian Vice-President Jusuf Kalla said the government would build an early warning system in Java and other areas in Indonesia in three years.

Five bodies were found on beaches in the Pangandaran area alone early on Wednesday, Red Cross official Mehmet Selamat said. ‘‘There are many fishermen missing,’’ he said.

... contd.