UPDATE: Indonesian Earthquake
The severity of the earthquake was upgraded to 8.5 - 8.7 on the Richter scale.
Gunungsitoli, the main town on Nias island, was closest to the epicenter of the quake.
Between 1000 and 2000 people were probably killed on the island of Nias after today's earthquake off Sumatra, according to Indonesia Vice President Jusuf Kalla
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Tsunami Warnings Called OFF
Sri Lanka, India and Thailand have all withdrawn tsunami alerts issued after a massive quake off the Indonesian coast.
Sri Lankan authorities said it was now unlikely a devastating wave would hit the island.
"We have withdrawn the tsunami warning as the time for the wave to strike has lapsed," official P M Jayatilake said.
"I think it's safe for people to start going back home," he said.
India also withdrew its tsunami alert, telling tens of thousands of people who had fled their coastal homes it was safe to return, an official said.
"We have called off the alert for the people. But administration officials have been told to maintain a watch for another few hours.
"The people can now go back as the possibility of the danger is now over," S K Swami, a Home Ministry spokesman, said about four hours after the alert was sounded.
The 8.7 magnitude quake struck off the Indonesian island on Sumatra about 2.15am (AEST).
Thailand's Meteorological Department also cancelled a tsunami alert today and said people could now return home. Read here for more
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The Pacific Tsunami Center issued the latest on the following:
... TSUNAMI INFORMATION BULLETIN ...
NOTE CORRECTED EARTHQUAKE PARAMETERS.
THIS MESSAGE IS FOR INFORMATION ONLY.
THERE IS NO TSUNAMI WARNING OR WATCH IN EFFECT.
AN EARTHQUAKE HAS OCCURRED WITH THESE PRELIMINARY PARAMETERS
ORIGIN TIME - 1610Z 28 MAR 2005
COORDINATES - 2.3 NORTH 97.1 EAST
LOCATION - NORTHERN SUMATERA INDONESIA
MAGNITUDE - 8.5
MEASUREMENTS OR REPORTS OF TSUNAMI WAVE ACTIVITY
GAUGE LOCATION LAT LON TIME AMPL PER
------------------- ----- ------ ----- ------ -----
GAN 0.7N 73.2E 2023Z 0.05M 34MIN
MALE 4.2N 73.5E 2026Z 0.09M 46MIN
HANIMAADHOO 6.8N 73.2E 2043Z 0.20M 36MIN
TIME - TIME OF THE MEASUREMENT
AMPL - AMPLITUDE IN METERS FROM MIDDLE TO CREST OR MIDDLE
TO TROUGH OR HALF OF THE CREST TO TROUGH
PER - PERIOD OF TIME FROM ONE WAVE CREST TO THE NEXT
EVALUATION
SEA LEVEL READINGS INDICATE A TSUNAMI WAS GENERATED. IT MAY HAVE
BEEN DESTRUCTIVE ALONG COASTS NEAR THE EARTHQUAKE EPICENTER.FOR
THOSE AREAS - WHEN NO MAJOR WAVES ARE OBSERVED FOR TWO HOURS
AFTER THE ESTIMATED TIME OF ARRIVAL 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.
COUNTRIES IN THE BAY OF BENGAL AND ANDAMAN SEA REGIONS SHOULD
EXPECT DECREASING WAVE HEIGHTS WHERE OBSERVED.
IT IS UNKNOWN IF A DESTRUCTIVE TSUNAMI THREAT EXIST FOR OTHER
REGIONS OF THE INDIAN OCEAN.
THIS WILL BE THE FINAL BULLETIN ISSUED FOR THIS EVENT UNLESS
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE.
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Other related news:
Between 1000 and 2000 people were probably killed on the island of Nias after today's earthquake off Sumatra, according to Indonesia Vice President Jusuf Kalla
"Roughly it is expected between 1000 and 2000 died," he told El Shinta news radio.
The 8.7 magnitude quake struck about 2.15am (AEST) today, sparking mass panic amid fears it would cause a new tsunami disaster.
"With 80 per cent buildings in Gunungsitoli having been damaged, that could happen," Mr Kalla said of the estimated body count.
Gunungsitoli, the main town on Nias island, was particularly hard hit in the quake, which sparked fears of a tsunami in Indian Ocean countries. Read here for more
Nias Island
Nias island, is ill-equipped to handle the double-disaster of another huge earthquake on top of last year's devastating tsunami.
The Bali-sized land mass, roughly 125 kilometres (77 miles) west of Sumatra, is believed to be the location hardest hit by an earthquake late Monday that measured between 8.5 and 8.7 on the Richter scale.
Initial reports from the island say that hundreds of houses have collapsed killing about 300 people and prompting many more to flee for higher ground. Police said power cuts were hampering rescue work.
The island of 500,000 people was already struggling to recover from the December 26 tsunami disaster, which claimed relatively few casualties on Nias but caused major damage and left many without homes and food.
With most of the relief operation in the wake of the December 26 disaster focused on the heavily-populated shorelines of Sumatra's western Aceh province, Nias was awarded less attention, with some aid delayed due to its remoteness.Prior to December 26, Nias had been developing a modest tourist industry, with a reputation as a premium destination for adventurous surfers and scuba divers.
The island's southern Lagundi bay is a regular feature of the world professional surfing circuit.
Tourists have also flocked to see Nias' ancient traditions based on animistic beliefs which, despite the introduction of Islam and Christianity, are still reflected in huge stone monuments and tribal dances across the island. Read here for more
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Small tsunami headed to Perth:
A SMALL tsunami sparked by a huge earthquake in Indonesia was making its way down the West Australian coast towards Perth, an Australian seismologist said today.
Geoscience Australia expert Mark Leonard said the 23cm tsunami had already hit the Cocos Islands, an Australian territory in the Indian Ocean 2950km northwest of Perth.
It was also likely to have reached the North West Cape on the West Australian coast, and would continue to travel south towards Perth, he said.
But he suggested major damage from the surge was unlikely, and the wave would be difficult to detect with the naked eye.
"As we speak there's probably a tsunami of a few tens of centimetres going down the Western Australian coast," Dr Leonard said on ABC radio. Read here for more
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The United States is moving into "battle mode" following Monday's magnitude 8.7 earthquake in southern Asia, alerting U.S. posts in the region and contacting aid workers, a State Department spokesman said.
"We're applying what we've learned from the previous earthquake, so that we can be prepared to be responsive quickly and in a meaningful way," said spokesman Adam Ereli.
He said U.S. officials are "in battle mode to be in a position where we can act."
The United States has contacted aid organizations to try to get an assessment of the damage, particularly compared to the December 26 quake and tsunamis that left more than 300,000 people dead or missing. Read here for more
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