Earthquake monitoring agencies issued a tsunami warning today after a powerful tremor measuring more than 7 on the Richter scale under the sea off the west coast of Indonesia's Sumatra island.
The US Geological Survey measured the quake at 7.5, and the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said a local tsunami watch was in effect but a wider tsunami threat was not seen.
Indonesia's earthquake agency also issued a tsunami warning. It said the quake hit 78 km northwest off South Pagai, one of the Mentawai islands, at a depth of 10 km. The agency measured the quake at 7.2.
There were no immediate reports of any casualties from the earthquake or any subsequent tsunami.
In December 2004, a tsunami caused by an earthquake of more than 9 magnitude off Sumatra killed more than 226,000 people. It was the deadliest tsunami on record.
Reuters