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Powerful quake shakes Indonesia | Powerful quake shakes Indonesia |
(9 minutes later) | |
A powerful earthquake has struck off the western Indonesian island of Sumatra, triggering tsunami alerts across the Indian Ocean. | A powerful earthquake has struck off the western Indonesian island of Sumatra, triggering tsunami alerts across the Indian Ocean. |
The tremor had a magnitude of 7.9, according to Indonesian monitors. | The tremor had a magnitude of 7.9, according to Indonesian monitors. |
There are reports of buildings collapsing in towns on the west coast of Sumatra, but it is not yet clear whether there are casualties. | There are reports of buildings collapsing in towns on the west coast of Sumatra, but it is not yet clear whether there are casualties. |
A massive undersea earthquake sparked a tsunami that killed more than 130,000 people in Indonesia in December 2004. | A massive undersea earthquake sparked a tsunami that killed more than 130,000 people in Indonesia in December 2004. |
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre issued a tsunami alert for the entire Indian Ocean region following the latest quake. | The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre issued a tsunami alert for the entire Indian Ocean region following the latest quake. |
It says it is not known whether a tsunami has been generated. | It says it is not known whether a tsunami has been generated. |
I saw some parts of houses crumbled to the ground Ayu ClaudiaResident of Bengkulu Animated guide: Earthquakes | |
Besides Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and a number of small islands were put on alert. | |
Wednesday's earthquake struck at 1810 (1110 GMT), about 15km (nine miles) under the sea, some 100km (60 miles) south-west of the city of Bengkulu, the US Geological Survey said. | Wednesday's earthquake struck at 1810 (1110 GMT), about 15km (nine miles) under the sea, some 100km (60 miles) south-west of the city of Bengkulu, the US Geological Survey said. |
Local media said buildings in Padang, the capital of the province of West Sumatra, and in the town of Mukomuko, had collapsed. | |
"I saw some parts of houses crumbled to the ground but not huge damage. People ran out of their homes," Ayu Claudia, a resident of Bengkulu, told the AFP news agency before the phone went dead. | |
There were also reports of inhabitants fleeing swaying buildings in the capital Jakarta and in Singapore. | |
The BBC's Lucy Williamson in Jakarta says this was the most powerful earthquake in Indonesia since the one which caused the Asian tsunami in 2004, and was dangerously shallow. | The BBC's Lucy Williamson in Jakarta says this was the most powerful earthquake in Indonesia since the one which caused the Asian tsunami in 2004, and was dangerously shallow. |
She says quakes on this scale are rare and memories of 2004 has made the country terrified of a repeat. | She says quakes on this scale are rare and memories of 2004 has made the country terrified of a repeat. |
Indonesia, part of the seismically active Pacific "Ring of Fire", is frequently shaken by earth tremors. | Indonesia, part of the seismically active Pacific "Ring of Fire", is frequently shaken by earth tremors. |
Are you in the area affected by the earthquake? Send us your comments using the form below. If you have any pictures you can send them to yourpics@bbc.co.uk. Do not endanger yourself or others when taking pictures. | Are you in the area affected by the earthquake? Send us your comments using the form below. If you have any pictures you can send them to yourpics@bbc.co.uk. Do not endanger yourself or others when taking pictures. |
Find out more about how to send your pictures | Find out more about how to send your pictures |