By Anastacia Mott Austin
The people living in Indonesia’s "Pacific Ring of Fire," an area defined by volcanic activity and continental plates converging, are accustomed to large earthquakes.
But that doesn’t mean they feel no alarm when they occur.
Wednesday morning, U.S. Eastern time, a magnitude 8.2 earthquake hit off of the island of Sumatra. It caused damage to buildings and at least 10 deaths and hundreds of injuries, though those numbers are expected to rise as communications improve with the affected areas.
The quake triggered a tsunami warning, which was broadcast over radio stations, warning residents to evacuate beaches and low-lying areas. The temblor occurred at a depth of about 18.6 miles. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued the following statement immediately following the quake: "Earthquakes of this size have the potential to generate a widespread destructive tsunami that can affect coastlines across the entire Indian Ocean Basin."
A small tsunami was recorded in Padang, on the island of Sumatra, but was nowhere near the size of the devastating 2004 tsunami which occurred after the magnitude 9.0 quake in the area.
That quake devastated the region and killed over 200,000 people in seven different countries.
Jittery residents felt no comfort in the fact that this tsunami was comparatively small, however, and instinctively ran for higher ground. "As soon as they felt the land shaking they would run, and run fast, uphill," said reporter John Aglionby to the Associated Press. Aglionby added that he was in a 16th-story office in Jakarta, 375 miles from the epicenter, and felt the tall building shaking. "I heard the blinds flapping in the window first, and then there was the chair shaking," said Aglionby to reporters. "It was quite spooky being up so high when it happened."
The quake was felt as far away as Thailand, Singapore, and Malaysia, and buildings were evacuated in those countries.
The main earthquake was followed by several aftershocks, one of which measured a magnitude of 6.6 and triggered its own tsunami warning, which was cancelled after about an hour. However, Indonesian residents are still being warned to stay away from beaches, as the tides can be unpredictable.
Most of the remaining tsunami warnings have now been cancelled.
Communications to the areas nearest the epicenter have been affected, and information concerning casualties and damages is expected to be updated regularly.
Since the catastrophic earthquake and tsunami in 2004, Indonesia has been hit with over 15 quakes that measure 6.3 or greater, reports the United Stated Geological Survey.
The people living in Indonesia’s "Pacific Ring of Fire," an area defined by volcanic activity and continental plates converging, are accustomed to large earthquakes.
But that doesn’t mean they feel no alarm when they occur.
Wednesday morning, U.S. Eastern time, a magnitude 8.2 earthquake hit off of the island of Sumatra. It caused damage to buildings and at least 10 deaths and hundreds of injuries, though those numbers are expected to rise as communications improve with the affected areas.
The quake triggered a tsunami warning, which was broadcast over radio stations, warning residents to evacuate beaches and low-lying areas. The temblor occurred at a depth of about 18.6 miles. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued the following statement immediately following the quake: "Earthquakes of this size have the potential to generate a widespread destructive tsunami that can affect coastlines across the entire Indian Ocean Basin."
A small tsunami was recorded in Padang, on the island of Sumatra, but was nowhere near the size of the devastating 2004 tsunami which occurred after the magnitude 9.0 quake in the area.
That quake devastated the region and killed over 200,000 people in seven different countries.
Jittery residents felt no comfort in the fact that this tsunami was comparatively small, however, and instinctively ran for higher ground. "As soon as they felt the land shaking they would run, and run fast, uphill," said reporter John Aglionby to the Associated Press. Aglionby added that he was in a 16th-story office in Jakarta, 375 miles from the epicenter, and felt the tall building shaking. "I heard the blinds flapping in the window first, and then there was the chair shaking," said Aglionby to reporters. "It was quite spooky being up so high when it happened."
The quake was felt as far away as Thailand, Singapore, and Malaysia, and buildings were evacuated in those countries.
The main earthquake was followed by several aftershocks, one of which measured a magnitude of 6.6 and triggered its own tsunami warning, which was cancelled after about an hour. However, Indonesian residents are still being warned to stay away from beaches, as the tides can be unpredictable.
Most of the remaining tsunami warnings have now been cancelled.
Communications to the areas nearest the epicenter have been affected, and information concerning casualties and damages is expected to be updated regularly.
Since the catastrophic earthquake and tsunami in 2004, Indonesia has been hit with over 15 quakes that measure 6.3 or greater, reports the United Stated Geological Survey.
