7.9 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Off Western Indonesia
There have been no immediate reports of damage.
Indonesian officials issued a tsunami warning for the regions of West Sumatra, North Sumatra and Aceh.
It said the epicenter was 808km (502 miles) southwest of the city of Padang, and 10km deep.
Indonesian official’s issued a tsunami warning for the regions of West Sumatra, North Sumatra and Aceh.
Australia also issued a tsunami warning for Cocos Island and Christmas Island, in the Pacific and put a watch in place for the western Australian coast, including the city of Perth.
The earthquake was felt strongly in Padang for a few seconds, AFP reports, with people running out of their homes to higher ground.
Traffic ground to a halt and there was a sense of panic on the streets.
In 2004 and 8.9 magnitude earthquake triggered the world’s deadliest ever tsunami, killing more than 200,000 people.
After that disaster, a more effective tsunami monitoring system was put in place. Warnings are now issued more frequently after earthquakes in the area.
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