Tsunami warning after earthquake in Indonesia
By Sally Peck and agencies

Last Updated: 12:59pm BST 12/09/2007


Indonesian authorities have issued a tsunami warning after a powerful earthquake hit the country near southern Sumatra.

The powerful earthquake, which measured 8.0 according to the US Geological Survey, caused buildings to sway in the capital for several minutes.

The quake was centred about 15.6 km underground in the southern Sumatra area, about 600 km from Jakarta.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre issued a tsunami alert for much of the Indian Ocean region.

"Earthquakes of this size have the potential to generate a widespread destructive tsunami that can affect coastlines across the entire Indian Ocean Basin," it said.

Indonesia was the country worst hit by the earthquake-triggered tsunami of Dec 26, 2004.

The nation sits on the Pacific "ring of fire", where continental plates colide, causing frequent seismic and volcanic activity.

NeedKarma

I guess it's God deciding to smite some bad people.

firmbeliever

Ha Ha, very funny NK

NeedKarma

It is funny - it's your belief.

firmbeliever

I know you meant to say that

It had already been known to God and it is already written what will happen today, tomorrow and the future, the almighty does not suddenly decide to send the earthquake.

firmbeliever

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Tsunami warning after quakes hit Sumatra island | Special reports | Guardian Unlimited
Tsunami warning after quake hits Sumatra island

12.09.07. map - Indonesian earthquake | Special reports | Guardian Unlimited


Peter Walker and agencies
Wednesday September 12, 2007
Guardian Unlimited


Nations around the Indian Ocean issued tsunami warnings today after a huge earthquake shook the seabed west of Indonesia's Sumatra island.

The quake, which happened shortly after 6pm (1200 BST) measured around 7.9 on the Richter scale.

It sparked fears of a repeat of the disaster of Boxing Day 2004, when a similar quake triggered huge waves, killing more than 220,000 around the same region.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre, based in Hawaii, issued the alert for an area including Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand and the Maldives, all of which were affected by the 2004 tsunami.

Malaysia, Sri Lanka and India all issued their own warnings, telling residents to move away from the Indian Ocean coastline.

The US Geological Survey said the quake had a preliminary magnitude of 7.9, and was centred around 65km south-west of Bengkulu, a city on the west coast of Sumatra island, at a depth of almost 10 miles.

People in Bengkulu said at least one building had been completely demolished, and that the quake had caused panic about a possible tsunami.

"Everyone is running out of their houses in every direction," Wati Said, a local woman, said. "We think our neighbourhood is high enough. God willing, if the water comes, it will not touch us here."

Reports on Indonesian television stations said several buildings in Padang, the main city in west Sumatra, had collapsed or caught fire.

Some people in high rise buildings in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand also felt the quake.

"Earthquakes of this size have the potential to generate a widespread destructive tsunami that can affect coastlines across the entire Indian Ocean basin," officials at the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre centre said.

"Authorities in the region should take appropriate action in response to the possibility of a widespread destructive tsunami."

Indonesia was the nation worst affected by the 2004 tsunami, which was triggered by a 9.0 magnitude earthquake, also centred in the sea off western Sumatra.

The Aceh region, on the northern tip of Sumatra island, was especially devastated, with more than 130,000 people killed.

Indonesia, the world's largest archipelago, is prone to seismic upheaval due to its location on the so-called Ring of Fire, an arc of volcanos and fault lines encircling the Pacific basin.
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