Indonesian authorities said they believed that a tsunami would hit their shores after a massive earthquake struck waters off the country Wednesday, triggering widespread panic as residents along coastlines fled to high ground in cars and on the backs of motorcycles.
The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Body made its announcement, without estimating when the tsunami would come, as a tsunami watch was issued for countries across the Indian Ocean. Indonesia issued a fresh tsunami warning after an aftershock with a preliminary magnitude of 8.2 shook its western coast.
Two hours after the quake hit, however, there was no sign of the feared wave. Damage also appeared to be minimal.
CBS News correspondent Celia Hatton reports from Beijing that downed phone lines and power outages have made it very difficult for the Indonesian government to get information on possible casualties from the earthquake.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the 8.6-magnitude quake was centered 20 miles beneath the ocean floor around 269 miles from Aceh province.
Powerful 8.6 earthquake hits Indonesia, followed by 8.2 aftershock
Tremor felt throughout region, sparks tsunami fears
AP, April 11
BANDA ACEH, Indonesia ”” A massive earthquake off Indonesia’s western coast triggered a tsunami watch for countries across the Indian Ocean on Wednesday, clogging streets with traffic as residents fled to high ground in cars and on the backs of motorcycles.
Two hours after the quake hit, however, there was no sign of the feared wave. Damage also appeared to be minimal.
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Roger Musson, seismologist at the British geological survey who has studied Sumatra’s fault lines, says the temblor was a strike-slip quake, not a thrust quake. In a strike slip quake, the earth moves horizontally rather than vertically and doesn’t displace large volumes of water.
Fresh tsunami alert issued after 8.2 quake hits Indonesia
IBNLive, April 11
Banda Aceh – Hours after the massive 8.6-magnitude earthquake hit waters off Indonesia on Wednesday, another massive quake measuring 8.2 on the Richter Scale hit the Aceh province in the country.
Following the second earthquake, Indonesia issued a fresh tsunami warning, which extended for two hours. Notably, Indonesia had earlier scaled down the tsunami warning which was issued after the 8.6 quake.
The first 8.6-magnitude quake off Aceh province, hours earlier, had spawned a wave around 30 inches (80 centimeters) high but caused no serious damage.
[...]
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii said a tsunami watch was in effect for Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, Australia, Myanmar, Thailand, the Maldives and other Indian Ocean islands, Malaysia, Pakistan, Somalia, Oman, Iran, Bangladesh, Kenya, South Africa and Singapore.
But hours later, the threat appeared to have passed.
Foxnews.com, April 11
An earthquake of magnitude 7.0 was reported off the Pacific coast of Mexico on Wednesday, following on the heels of major but lesser quakes off the coasts of Oregon and California.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the magnitude 7.0 earthquake was centered of Mexico’s Pacific coast. The earthquake reportedly caused tall buildings to sway in Mexico City, prompting evacuations.
A magnitude 5.9 earthquake was reported off the coast of Oregon Wednesday, followed a minute later by a smaller quake off the coast of California, the U.S. Geological Survey said.
AP, April 12
MEXICO CITY — A strong earthquake struck off the coast of Mexico on Thursday, waking up residents living near the Gulf of California, only hours after a separate temblor swayed tall buildings in Mexico City, causing evacuations.
Authorities said neither quake left major damage nor victims.
The U.S. Geological Survey reported a 6.9 magnitude quake hit the waters between the Baja peninsula and the northern state of Sonora at 12:15 a.m. local time.