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| Powerful quake shakes Indonesia | Powerful quake shakes Indonesia |
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| 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. |
| Animated guide: Earthquakes class="" href="/1/hi/world/2059330.stm">Deadly earthquakes | |
| Besides Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and a number of small islands were put on alert. | 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. | 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. | "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. |
| Officials said it was very difficult to get clear communications with the area to make damage assessments. | |
| They are sending disaster teams from the capital Jakarta, fearing that there may be significant casualties, says the BBC's Lucy Williamson in Jakarta. | |
| There were also reports of inhabitants fleeing swaying buildings in the capital Jakarta and in Singapore. | There were also reports of inhabitants fleeing swaying buildings in the capital Jakarta and in Singapore. |
| Fearful memories | |
| Our correspondent says this was the most powerful earthquake in Indonesia since the one which caused the Asian tsunami in 2004, and was dangerously shallow. | |
| The 2004 quake measured 8.9 and struck under the sea near the northern Sumatran province of Aceh, triggering a tsunami that killed more than 220,000 people around the rim of the Indian Ocean. | |
| She says quakes on this scale are rare and memories of 2004 have 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 |