Saturday, April 17, 2010

7.7 quake strikes off Indonesia's Sumatra island

JAKARTA, Indonesia – A magnitude 7.7 earthquake shook Indonesia's northwest island of Sumatra early Wednesday, triggering a small tsunami, snapping power lines and sending panicked residents rushing for higher ground.There were scattered reports of injuries, but only minor damage in most areas. The quake struck at 5:15 a.m. (2215 GMT) and was centered undersea 125 miles (205 kilometers) northwest of the coastal town of Sibolga in Sumatra at a depth of 19 miles (31 kilometers), the U.S. Geological Survey said. It had earlier said the quake measured 7.8.Indonesia's Meteorology and Geophysics Agency and the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Honolulu issued tsunami warnings following the quake, but lifted them two hours later.The meteorology agency said a minor tsunami that at its largest was about 16 inches (40 centimeters) high hit Banyak island, Nias island and Sibolga.
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