Survival Earthquake Kits: Massive Earthquake in Indonesia tsunami alert April 11, 2012
Jakartha, 11 April 2012: A massive earthquake of 8.6 magnitude hit waters off Indonesia triggering tsunami fears across the Indian Ocean nations, including India, reviving memories of the 2004 devastation that had claimed tens of thousands of lives in the region. (Earlier reports said the magnitude was 8.7 on the Richter scale.) The quake struck off Indonesia’s Sumatra island, U.S. and Indonesian monitors reported, prompting an Indian Ocean-wide tsunami alert.
The tremors were felt far and wide in southern and eastern parts of India, Sri Lanka, Australia, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia. The quake’s magnitude was 8.7 on Richter scale and it struck 431-km off the Indonesian city of Banda Aceh. In India, tremors were felt in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andaman and Nicobar islands, Assam and West Bengal.
Banda Aceh in Indonesia was near the epicentre of a devastating 9.1-magnitude quake in 2004 that triggered a tsunami across the Indian Ocean, which killed 220,000 people, including 170,000 in Aceh. Residents in Banda Aceh reported the ground shaking violently. The ground shook for nearly five minutes with telephone connections going down briefly. Terrified people left their dwellings and ran for cover.
People were trying to leave affected area, with whatever modes of transport available. Traffic jams were seen everywhere. U.S. monitors issued an Indian Ocean-wide tsunami watch but said it was not yet certain a giant wave had been generated. “Earthquakes of this size have the potential to generate a widespread destructive tsunami that can affect coastlines across the entire Indian Ocean basin,” the U.S. Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said.
With tremors felt in Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and Sri Lanka tsunami warnings have been issued. A big tremor was felt in the island resort of Phuket in Thailand. Phone lines to the area are jammed. At least one luxury hotel was evacuating people to higher ground.
