7.7 quake strikes off Indonesias Sumatra island

Another end of the world sign: A brief tsunami warning caused by a 7.7 earthquake shook Indonesia's northwest island of Sumatra early Wednesday and residents were rushing for higher ground. Thankfully there were no immediate reports of widespread damage.

Earlier on, there was a fierce volcanic erruption in Iceland and now, a 7.7 earthquake shook Indonesia's northwest island of Sumatra early Wednesday, prompting a brief tsunami warning and sending residents rushing for higher ground. There were no immediate reports of widespread damage. There were at least 5 strong aftershocks following the quake and they were measuring up to 5.2, the meteorology agency stated.

The quake, caused panic in North Sumatra's capital of Medan and other cities in the region and Electricity was cut in Medan and Banda Aceh, provincial capital of Aceh. The Indonesia Meteorology and Geophysics Agency and the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Honolulu issued tsunami warnings following the quake, but after hours the warning was cancelled.

It seems that the Earth is acting up and telling us that the Earth's time of existence is short or rather days the existence of man on Earth is numbered. Armageddon prophecies are getting more and more accurate and one often wonders whether the prophecies are true...??

"So far no damage or casualties have been reported and the situation is under control," Aceh Governor Irwandi Yusuf said.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the quake struck at 2215 GMT and was centered 125 miles northwest of Sibolga in Sumatra at a depth of 28.6 miles and measuring 7.8.

People in several cities along the southeastern coast of Sumatra as well as Sinabang on Simeulue island and Gunung Sitoli on nearby Nias island poured into the streets and rushed to higher ground after the quake.

In the same region in 2004, a tsunami triggered by a magnitude-9.2 earthquake in the same region and killed 230,000+ people.

"Rumors about a tsunami panicked villagers living near the beach," said Eddy Effendi, a resident in Nias district of North Sumatra province. "There was panic and chaos everywhere, but I don't see serious damage or injuries in my village."

Residents in Sibolga said the earthquake's shaking lasted for more than a minute and almost all utility poles were knocked down in the affected area.

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Tags : earthquake, indonesia, Pacific Tsunami Warning Center,Aceh,Banda Aceh,Asia News,AP
Posted on 2010-04-06 [Tue] 19:02 with 8133 hits