Indonesia: Strong Earthquake Causes Panic at Sumatra

The hypocenter of the undersea earthquake that occurred at about 7:30 (4:30 in Mauritius), was located at a depth of 22 km, announced the American Institute of Geophysics (USGS), which revised the magnitude to 6.4 after estimated at 6.6. His vis-à-vis Indonesia said the quake took place about 20 km from the small island of Simeulue, located 150 km west of Sumatra.

Indonesian and Australian services have stated that no tsunami warning had been issued. "The earthquake did not have the potential to cause a tsunami," said Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman for the Indonesian National Disaster Agency.

The specter of the 2004 tsunami

The quake did no less aroused great panic, awakening the specter of massive tidal waves that killed more than 200,000 deaths in 2004 after an earthquake in the same area.

One person has died following a fall when she rushed out of her house, said the Indonesian emergency services.

The ground shook violently for about a minute to Simeulue, told AFP an inhabitant of this island of 80,000 inhabitants. "People rushed out of their homes in panic. We felt a violent shock for about a minute but so far there is no sign of damage," said Abdul Karim, an official of Sinabang, capital of the island of Simeulue. "People were crying and fleeing from their homes," said an AFP journalist at Sinabang. "The electricity was cut off in some places. I can see cracks in some walls. People go home but some remain outside for fear of aftershocks," he added.

Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman for the Indonesian National Disaster Agency, said the population was asked to go home mid-morning.

Pacific Rim of Fire

The island of Sumatra, located in the northwest of the Indonesian archipelago, had been shaken by December 26, 2004 a strong earthquake of magnitude greater than 9, which caused a tsunami on the coasts of ten countries of Southeast Asia killing over 220,000 people including 170,000 in Aceh.

Indonesia is located on the "Ring of Fire" Pacific, where the meeting of several continental plates causes high volcanic and seismic activity.