Earth Quake Today, Indonesia Earthquake, Tsunami Warning

Earth Quake Today, Indonesia Earthquake, Tsunami Warning, Indonesia has issued a tsunami warning after a massive earthquake hit waters off its coast today during a visit there by Prime Minister David Cameron.

The quake, with an 8.7 magnitude, hit waters off Aceh – the same westernmost province that was devastated in 2004 Boxing Day disaster. It was followed by a similar strength aftershock four hours later.

The first quake, which was centred 20 miles beneath the ocean floor around 308 miles from the provincial capital of Banda Aceh, was later thought unlikely to have triggered a fatal wave.

But, worryingly, the aftershock was measured at 8.2 magnitude with an epicentre just a few hundred miles from that of the first quake – and this could yet cause a devastating tsunami.

People in Banda Aceh screamed ‘God is great!’ as they jumped into cars and the backs of motorcycles, clogging streets as they fled to high ground. Buildings shook for four minutes.

There are fears of a repeat of the 9.1-magnitude quake seven years go that triggered a tsunami that killed 230,000 people. Nearly three quarters lived in Aceh, which is on the Sumatra island.

‘I was in the shower on the fifth floor of my hotel,’ witness Timbang Pangaribuan today told El Shinta radio from the city of Medan.

‘We all ran out. … We’re all standing outside now.’

He said one guest was injured when he jumped from the window of his room.

Mr Cameron is visiting the country’s capital, Jakarta, which is 1,600 miles south-east of the province and on a different island, Java. No tremors have been felt there and the city is unlikely to be hit.

Earthquake In Chennai

Earthquake In Chennai, A second round of tremors was felt in India in cities like Kolkata and Chennai at 4.25 pm as a tsunami alert remained in place for 28 countries including India. Indonesia has issued a new tsunami warning following an aftershock that hovered around 8.2 on the Richter scale.

The original earthquake struck Indonesia at 2.08 pm, and measured 8.6 on the Richter scale hit Indonesia, spurring warnings of a possible tsunami.

Officials in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands have prepped for emergency processes and remain on high alert. Press Trust of India reports that the government has evacuated some people from South Andaman as a precaution.

“No waves have been noticed so far in Andaman and Nicobar Islands; a tsunami has been virtually ruled out,” said Sasidhra Reddy, an official with the National Disaster Relief Management.

But just in case, six teams of 40 people each from the National Disaster Relief Force are positioned at Hindon near Delhi, and at Chennai, in case they need to be rushed to the Andamans. Two C-130 J heavy-lift aircrafts of the Indain Air Force are leaving for Port Blair with NDRF teams and 10 tonnes of relief material.

“As of now there are no signs of a tsunami,” said the Home Secretary RK Singh earlier this evening. But he said the union government is in constant touch with officials in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Odisha.

The minutes after the first quake saw emergency drills in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. On the beaches at Chennai, policemen used megaphones to ask people to leave, with little effect. Mobile phone networks were jammed in the city till 4 pm. In Andhra Pradesh, fishermen were asked to return from sea. In the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, civilians were asked to move to higher ground. In Kolkata, metro trains were stopped at 2.40 pm for nearly an hour; as a precaution, passengers were evacuated.

The quake was felt in Singapore, Thailand and India. High-rise apartments and offices on Malaysia’s west coast shook for at least a minute.

Tsunami Warning

Tsunami Warning, A strong earthquake has struck off the coast of New Zealand’s South Island, but there are no reports of damage or injuries and no tsunami warning has been issued.

The 6.1-magnitude quake struck Thursday 126 miles (203 kilometers) west of New Zealand’s southernmost city, Invercargill, at a depth of 11 miles (18 kilometers).

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center did not issue an alert.

A devastating quake ravaged the New Zealand city of Christchurch last year, killing 182 people.