[Updated at 4:27 p.m. Tuesday ET] A 7.3-magnitude earthquake struck off the western coast of western Indonesia's Sumatra island early Wednesday, the U.S. Geological Survey said, but witnesses reported only minor shaking on land.
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The quake, which happened at 12:37 a.m. local time (1:37 p.m. Tuesday ET) at a depth of 18.1 miles, was centered in the Indian Ocean about 262 miles southwest of Banda Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia, and 590 miles west of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the USGS said.
Indonesian authorities issued a tsunami warning for the area, but the Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said there was no threat of a massive wave like the one that devastated the region in 2004.
There were no immediate reports of damage, and hotel clerks contacted by CNN reported only mild shaking. One front desk clerk in Aceh said a few hotel guests went outside when the quake hit, but most weren't awakened.
In December 2004, Indonesia and a number of other countries were hard hit by a tsunami generated by a 9.1-magnitude earthquake off northern Sumatra. The tsunami and earthquake killed more than 280,000 people in 14 countries - mainly India, Indonesia, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Thailand. The Indonesian region of Banda Aceh was hard-hit: About 150,000 died there.
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too far offshore. Not large enough for a tsunami. no big deal
Aftershock swarm continues since 12/26/2004?
the indian and the austrailian plates that are colliding which is why earthquakes keep happening there....they are not aftershocks
Technically, ALL earthquakes are aftershocks.
Get your wallets out. We have to pay for people that live right next to the ocean.
like californians or floridians? seriously? quite the moronic logic you got there....
uhh, yeah, Floridians in particular. Rather then letting insurance companies do their job and charge the correct amount based on hurricane risk ( Tsunami risk is negligible in Florida. ) the government of Florida cap the rates. Stating they'll pay the difference if the insurance companies can't. Since Florida doesn't have that much money, WE ( with our federal dollars ) will pay for hurricanes that strike Florida in the future.
@Anthony
They cap the rates because insurance companies where gouging customers sir. I’ve lived in Florida for 33 years and have yet to be hit by a hurricane. If you have an issue, it should be with the sharks. (insurance companies) Disagree if you will, but I challenge you to do your homework and see how the insurance companies handled New Orleans.
@ Anthony, UM last time I checked WE in Florida are also part of those federal dollars of which you speak and a large percentage of the rest of the world lives within 50 miles of a body of water, as for my choice to live here in Florida, well it's MY choice so BYTE me besides I wanted front row seats to the end of the world so BLAH!
@CDNMAN. Do your research.before popping off. i lived in NC for about 15 years and had a significant jump in my homeowners ins premium. I lived outside winston-salem. the rate increase, according to my agent, was to pay for the huricaine damage at the coast. Insurance companies recover cost where they legally can.
Too far overshore? 7.3 Not large enough? Thos eare the conditions which make Tsu's the most dangerous!
Epic Fail! That region of the world just sucks to live in being so close to the ring of fire & the Mariana Trench.
uhh, this isn't in the pacific, or in the ring of fire, or anywhere near the Mariana Trench.....
LOL
We live on the ring of fire in California. When the big one hits LA we will wonder how to pay for it!
OMG 2012
OMG POLE SHIFT
OMG PLANET X
Ok, I said it all.
You forgot global warming and HAARP.
Thank goodness for science and technology which enables us to better prepare for our ultimate fate. Better late than never.
FYI Dan: About 40% of the world's population lives within 60 miles of a coast. This number is climbing and is higher in developing nations.
Ya know... I think that's what Dan is complaining about, where ever they are, doesn't matter.
must be all the indonesian b(. )( .)bies
The mayan prophecy is coming!!!!!! Lol..
This just a walk up call thing!!
Sure is! If i was there when the earthquake happened i would be woken up too!
@Anthony yes actually Indonesia is part of the Ring of Fire. Check it: http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/fire.html. And as you can see via the photo i attached, although the Marianas Trench is not right beside Indonesia, it is nearby.
Mwa hahahahahah!
MAN YOU THINK THERES AN INDONISIA THATS WHAT THE RUSSIANS WANT YOU TO THINK SO THEY CAN BRING BACK HITLER...RON PAUL 2012
What the heck?
You all need to get a life and seek God
you need to stop believing in myths without proof.
No date again, eh?