Malaysia tsunami alert

Due to increasing possibility of tsunami after an earthquake struck North Sumatra in Indonesia early Wednesday, 7 April 2010, Meteorological Department of Malaysia has raised tsunami alert and issued it for its three coastal areas. On Wednesday, 7 April 2010, a statement was issued according to that; in Sumatra only a small tsunami had occurred following the quake so the alert was lifted. The earthquake hit Sumatra, 450 km southwest of Malaysia’s Pangkor Island with tremors felt in west coast of peninsular Malaysia. In Perlis, Penang and Kedah, tsunami alert was issued and people were warned to keep away from the beach by the Met department.

“The quake struck at 3.45 am IST and was centred around 200 km northwest of Sibolga in Sumatra at a depth of 50 km,” and after two hours, Indonesia Meteorology and Geophysics Agency has issued tsunami warning, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. A tsunami watch is also issued by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre in Honolulu. According to the centre, for other coastal areas in the Indian Ocean, no tsunami threat existed, while small sea level changes. Star online said, “some areas could experience small sea level changes and strong or unusual coastal currents.” “There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties but officials were monitoring the situation,” said by Fauzi, an official at the meteorology agency’s Jakarta office.

Source: beta.thehindu.com