This just happened about 15 minutes ago, and from my understanding close to the same area which caused the Tsunami. Phuket and Andaman side people, please be alert and stay safe. Pete
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A powerful earthquake has struck off the western Indonesian island of Sumatra, triggering a tsunami alert.
The earth tremor had a magnitude of 7.9, according to the Indonesian Meteorological Institute.
It caused buildings in the capital, Jakarta, to sway, and some offices were evacuated, reports say. There are no reports of damage or casualties.
A massive undersea earthquake sparked a tsunami that killed more than 130,000 people in Indonesia in December 2004.
Indonesia, which lies on an arc of volcanoes and fault lines, is frequently shaken by earth tremors.
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When my friends started calling from all around the region, I had 40C temperature because of the dengue fever and I just went stone cold.
Since all the "Tsunami Alert" drills failed here in Phuket, I couldn't take any chances, so I made a few calls to some friends in Indonesia and Malaysia, to ask about the situation there and all said no Tsunami has been built up after those 3 earthquakes.
It was a close shave and our prayers go to all those affected in this last earthquake.
Some warnings given out here for the west australian coastline, as they were mildly affected the last time with larger than normal tides and flooding of some areas
Here ia a warning posted on the internet today
Geoscience Australia measured it at a magnitude of 7.8. However, US Geological Survey put it at 8.2.
Small wave surges of between 10 and 20 centimetres were recorded on the Australian territories of Cocos Islands and Christmas Islands last night, but Geoscience Australia warned that there could be unpredictable currents and some flooding of bays.
Warnings were still in place along parts of the West Australian coast, and emergency services were standing by. "The threat has by no means passed yet," said Dr Phil Cummins, a senior seismologist at Geoscience Australia, last night.
The Joint Australian Tsunami Warning Centre issued the potential tsunami threat warning at 9.44pm yesterday. "People in coastal areas in threatened regions should move out of the water and away from low lying foreshore areas," it said.
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Just seen reports of large aftershocks on Australian news sites, so perhaps not all over yet
10-52am Thursday
JAKARTA (Reuters) - Rescue teams and troops headed on Thursday for Indonesia's Sumatra coast as aftershocks continued to pound a region where a powerful earthquake the night before killed six people and perhaps many more.
Japan's Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami warning for Indian Ocean countries after the latest aftershock, a shallow quake which the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said measured 7.5.
"The city is in complete chaos. Everyone is heading to higher ground, I saw one house collapsed to the ground. I'm trying to save my family," said a Reuters witness in Padang, the capital of West Sumatra, soon after the first quake.
Indonesia's Health Ministry crisis centre in Jakarta said the latest casualty figures showed that six people had been killed and 40 injured after the initial 8.4 magnitude quake, which was also felt in neighboring Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia.
But David Oppenheimer, a scientist with the USGS in California, said the death toll could well rise as authorities take stock of the impact in the light of day.
A quake with an eight magnitude typically leads to partial collapse of buildings, houses moved off their foundations, and other damage, he said.
"That's the kind of stuff that causes death, especially in the Third World. I think there is an information blackout at this point."
Japan's Meteorological Agency warned of a tsunami risk for Australia's Coco Islands and, further afield, the coasts of India's Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Sri Lanka within 3 hours.
A huge earthquake measuring more than 9 struck the same area of Indonesia on December 26, 2004, causing a massive tsunami and over 230,000 deaths in countries across the region.
Indonesia suffers frequent quakes, as it lies on an active seismic belt on part of the so-called Pacific "Ring of Fire."
Many people chose to sleep out in the open on Wednesday night rather than return indoors, a Red Cross official in Bengkulu, close to the epicenter of the quake, told Reuters.
"The emergency rescue system has mobilized and the president has ordered the military to help the rescue effort," President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's spokesman said.
Rustam Pakaya, head of the health ministry crisis centre, said the government would send one metric ton of medicine, three metric tons of food supplements, and one metric ton of noodles on Thursday for displaced people in the area.
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