(UPDATED At Bottom)
Source USGS
# 6271
A great earthquake (8.6 mag) struck offshore of Sumatra roughly 2 hours ago (at 08:38:37 UTC - 13:38 local time and 04:28 EDT). We’ve not received any reliable word on damage as of this posting.
Source USGS
While no tsunami has yet been reported, quakes of this size and in this general vicinity have been known to generate tidal waves. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has issued the following bulletin.
TSUIOXTSUNAMI BULLETIN NUMBER 002
PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER/NOAA/NWS
ISSUED AT 0945Z 11 APR 2012THIS BULLETIN IS FOR ALL AREAS OF THE INDIAN OCEAN
... AN INDIAN-OCEAN-WIDE TSUNAMI WATCH IS IN EFFECT ...
A TSUNAMI WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR
INDONESIA / INDIA / AUSTRALIA / SRI LANKA / MYANMAR / THAILAND /
MALDIVES / UNITED KINGDOM / MALAYSIA / MAURITIUS / REUNION /
SEYCHELLES / OMAN / PAKISTAN / SOMALIA / MADAGASCAR / IRAN /
UAE / YEMEN / COMORES / MOZAMBIQUE / KENYA / TANZANIA /
CROZET ISLANDS / BANGLADESH / KERGUELEN ISLANDS / SOUTH AFRICA /
SINGAPORETHIS BULLETIN IS ISSUED AS ADVICE TO GOVERNMENT AGENCIES. ONLY NATIONAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE DECISIONS REGARDING THE OFFICIAL STATE OF ALERT IN THEIR AREA AND
ANY ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN IN RESPONSE.AN EARTHQUAKE HAS OCCURRED WITH THESE PRELIMINARY PARAMETERS
ORIGIN TIME - 0839Z 11 APR 2012
COORDINATES - 2.3 NORTH 93.1 EAST
LOCATION - OFF W COAST OF NORTHERN SUMATRA
MAGNITUDE - 8.7EVALUATION
EARTHQUAKES OF THIS SIZE HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO GENERATE A WIDESPREAD DESTRUCTIVE TSUNAMI THAT CAN AFFECT COASTLINES ACROSS
THE ENTIRE INDIAN OCEAN BASIN.HOWEVER - IT IS NOT KNOWN THAT A TSUNAMI WAS GENERATED. THIS WATCH IS BASED ONLY ON THE EARTHQUAKE EVALUATION. AUTHORITIES IN
THE REGION SHOULD TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION IN RESPONSE TO THE POSSIBILITY OF A WIDESPREAD DESTRUCTIVE TSUNAMI. WE ARE STILL WAITING FOR CONFIRMATION OF TSUNAMI FROM NEAREST SEA-LEVEL STATIONS.
UPDATE
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has issued a 3rd bulletin confirming that a tsunami has been generated by this seismic event, although no size is indicated.
SEA LEVEL READINGS INDICATE A TSUNAMI WAS GENERATED. IT MAY ALREADY HAVE BEEN DESTRUCTIVE ALONG SOME COASTS. BASED ON THESE DATA THE THREAT CONTINUES FOR ALL COASTAL AREAS OF THE INDIAN OCEAN. FOR THOSE AREAS - WHEN NO MAJOR WAVES HAVE OCCURRED FOR AT LEAST TWO HOURS AFTER THE ESTIMATED ARRIVAL TIME OR DAMAGING WAVES HAVE NOT OCCURRED FOR AT LEAST TWO HOURS THEN LOCAL AUTHORITIES CAN ASSUME THE THREAT IS PASSED. DANGER TO BOATS AND COASTAL STRUCTURES CAN CONTINUE FOR SEVERAL HOURS DUE TO RAPID CURRENTS. AS LOCAL CONDITIONS CAN CAUSE A WIDE VARIATION IN TSUNAMI WAVE ACTION THE ALL CLEAR DETERMINATION MUST BE MADE BY LOCAL AUTHORITIES.
Follow this link for estimated tsunami arrival times.
