Damage reports still coming in, tsunami warning reported cancelled
AGENCIES
11/15/2014 - 0351 Western Jakarta Time
A magnitude-7.1 earthquake struck Indonesia on Saturday, causing tsunami warnings for a time throughout the region.
The temblor's epicenter was located 154 km (96 miles) northwest of Kota Ternate, Indonesia, and the major earthquake occurred 10:31 a.m. local time Saturday (9:31 p.m. EST Friday), the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Pacific Tsunami Warning Center reported.
The earthquake had an initial magnitude of 7.3 but was downgraded slightly by the USGS.
Tsunami advisories were issued for Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, the Solomon Islands and other areas but were later dropped.
There were no reports of damage or injuries, The AP reported.
Nine strong aftershocks, ranging from magnitude 4.5 to magnitude 5.9, occurred in the first seven hours after the major earthquake, the USGS said.“Tsunami waves are possible for coasts located within 300 kilometres,” said the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.
The centre said tsunami waves could hit parts of Indonesia, as well the Philippines, Japan, Taiwan and islands in the South Pacific.
Tsunami waves between 30 centimetres (12 inches) and one metre could hit parts of Indonesia, said the centre, while waves below 30 centimetres were forecast for the coasts of the Philippines, the centre said.
“We have issued an early tsunami warning,” an official from Indonesia's meteorological agency told AFP.
Julius Galgiano, Philippine government seismologist, said the Philippines had also issued a tsunami warning.
“We are telling (local communities) to have a tsunami watch in areas along the coast,” he said. But added that no evacuation orders had been issued and the tsunami waves were not expected to be high.
There were no immediate reports of any damage caused by the quake itself or any casualties.
Indonesia sits on the Pacific “Ring of Fire” where continental plates collide, causing frequent seismic and volcanic activity.
A huge undersea quake in 2004 triggered a tsunami that killed more than 170,000 people in Aceh province, on western Sumatra island, and tens of thousands more in other countries with coasts on the Indian Ocean.
A 6.1-magnitude quake that hit inland in Aceh in July last year left at least 30 people dead and thousands homeless.
It caused a mosque to collapse in one village, killing six children as they took part in a Quran reading session. ― AFP
Agencies say that the earthquake has the potential to create large tsunami waves along the nearby coasts. As of now, there have been no reports of any casualties due to the earthquake.
According to a statement issued by The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, the earthquake is strong enough to generate hazardous tsunami waves within 300 kilometers (186 miles) of the epicenter. The areas that are likely to be affected by these potential tsunami waves are the coastal areas of Indonesia and areas of southern Philippines. The statement adds that the height of these tsunami waves could reach over a meter. The communities of Tabukan Tengah on the North Sulawesi island are located the closest to the epicenter of the earthquake, and are at immediate risk if the tsunami does occur, the agency said.
If the earthquake does create a tsunami, its effects are likely to be felt in faraway Japan – in the southern Okinawa Island of the country. Other areas that could potentially see the effects of the tsunami include the U.S. territory of Guam, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and the Marshall Islands in the Pacific Ocean. It could take up to six hours for the tsunami to reach these places.
Indonesia is a group of islands located on what is known as the very active Pacific Ring of Fire, and is very prone to high intensity earthquakes. There are several active volcanoes in this region as well. Indonesia was very badly affected in the 2004 earthquake, when a strong earthquake hit the Banda Aceh province in the country. It generated massive tsunami waves across south and south-east Asia, resulting in the deaths of over 230,000 people across several countries. It remains to date one of the most destructive natural calamities in modern times.
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