A report just came in a few minutes ago that an 8.7 magnitude earthquake has struck the coast of Indonesia, sending residents around the region dashing out of their homes and offices in fear.
According to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, a tsunami watch was in effect for the entire Indian Ocean and individual countries, including Thailand, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and India, have already issued tsunami warnings. People near the coast in six Thai provinces were also ordered to move to higher ground as soon as they can.
The quake struck 308 miles (500 km) southwest of the city of Banda Aceh, on the northern tip of Indonesia's Sumatra island, at a depth of 20.5 miles (33 km), the U.S. Geological survey said.
Indonesia's disaster management agency also reported that power is currently down in Aceh province and people were gathering on high ground as sirens warned them of the danger.
"The electricity is down, there are traffic jams to access higher ground. Sirens and Koran recitals from mosques are everywhere," said Sutopo, spokesman for the agency.
Social network members posted that the quake was felt as far away as the Thai capital, Bangkok, and in southern India. They are also using the internet to reach and warn as many people as they can before a possible tsunami reach the coast.
Meanwhile, hundreds of office workers in the Indian city of Bangalore left their buildings while the Indian port of Chennai closed down because of the danger of a tsunami.
The quake was in roughly in the same area as a the deadly 26 December 2004, quake of 9.1 magnitude, which sent huge tsunami waves crashing into Sumatra, where 170,000 people were killed, and across the Indian Ocean. The total casualty in 2004 was estimated at around 230,000 people in 13 Indian Ocean countries, including Thailand, Sri Lanka and India.
The 2004 quake was at a depth of 18 miles (30 km) along a fault line running under the Indian Ocean, off western Indonesia and up into the Bay of Bengal.
The quake was also felt in Sri Lanka, where office workers in the capital, Colombo, fled their offices, and the southern Thai holiday island of Phuket, both of which were hit hard by the 2004 tsunami.
In Bangladesh, where two tremors were felt, authorities said there appeared to be no threat of a tsunami. Australia also said there was no threat of a tsunami there. However, they all suggest that the public take every precautionary action possible.
According to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, a tsunami watch was in effect for the entire Indian Ocean and individual countries, including Thailand, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and India, have already issued tsunami warnings. People near the coast in six Thai provinces were also ordered to move to higher ground as soon as they can.
The quake struck 308 miles (500 km) southwest of the city of Banda Aceh, on the northern tip of Indonesia's Sumatra island, at a depth of 20.5 miles (33 km), the U.S. Geological survey said.
Indonesia's disaster management agency also reported that power is currently down in Aceh province and people were gathering on high ground as sirens warned them of the danger.
"The electricity is down, there are traffic jams to access higher ground. Sirens and Koran recitals from mosques are everywhere," said Sutopo, spokesman for the agency.
Social network members posted that the quake was felt as far away as the Thai capital, Bangkok, and in southern India. They are also using the internet to reach and warn as many people as they can before a possible tsunami reach the coast.
Meanwhile, hundreds of office workers in the Indian city of Bangalore left their buildings while the Indian port of Chennai closed down because of the danger of a tsunami.
The quake was in roughly in the same area as a the deadly 26 December 2004, quake of 9.1 magnitude, which sent huge tsunami waves crashing into Sumatra, where 170,000 people were killed, and across the Indian Ocean. The total casualty in 2004 was estimated at around 230,000 people in 13 Indian Ocean countries, including Thailand, Sri Lanka and India.
The 2004 quake was at a depth of 18 miles (30 km) along a fault line running under the Indian Ocean, off western Indonesia and up into the Bay of Bengal.
The quake was also felt in Sri Lanka, where office workers in the capital, Colombo, fled their offices, and the southern Thai holiday island of Phuket, both of which were hit hard by the 2004 tsunami.
In Bangladesh, where two tremors were felt, authorities said there appeared to be no threat of a tsunami. Australia also said there was no threat of a tsunami there. However, they all suggest that the public take every precautionary action possible.
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Terrifying. My thoughts go out to all those affected :-(
Thanks god....nothing terrible happened in Indonesia. People are more aware about the danger now..... drop me back
Oh my! It's terrifying. I hope everyone's safe and doing extra necessary precautions.
Marms