The quake struck at a depth of 18 miles, southwest of Meulaboh district at just before 6am (GMT).
“A destructive widespread tsunami threat does not exist based on historical earthquake and tsunami data,” a spokesman for the United States Geological Survey said.
“However there is the possibility of a local tsunami that could affect coasts located usually no more than a hundred kilometers from the earthquake epicentre.”
It was not immediately known if there were any casualties or damage.
The people of Aceh are still traumatised by memories of December 26, 2004, when the Indian Ocean surged over the northern tip of Sumatra after a 9.3-magnitude quake.
Indonesia was the nation hardest hit, with at least 168,000 people killed out of more than 220,000 who lost their lives across the region.
Indonesia sits on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” where the meeting of continental plates causes high volcanic and seismic activity.
