Major Quake Hits Aceh

BY NURDIN HASAN

Banda Aceh, TAG – A powerful 7.6-magnitude earthquake hit Aceh province early Wednesday triggering panic and tsunami warnings but no immediate reports of damage or injuries.

The quake struck with an epicenter 423 kilometers southwest of the capital of Banda Aceh, and a depth of 29 kilometers.

Indonesian’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) on its website said the quake had a preliminary magnitude of 7,6. But US Geological survey said magnitude of 7,3 and struck of the coast of Aceh province.

Residents of Banda Aceh, the provincial capital, said they felt the earth shudder with frightening intensity for almost a minute at around 1.38 a.m. local time on Wednesday.

There are no initial reports of widespread panic even a tsunami alert for western waters off Sumatra island was issued by the BMKG.

Banda Aceh resident Eliana, 40, said she had been asleep at the time of the quake.

She said a strong jolt woke her up, and she immediately woke her children, rushing with them to safety.

“Everyone in my neighborhood was scrambling for open ground,” she said. “The earthquake lasted about one minute.”

Another Banda Aceh resident, Ades, 56, said he had been playing domino at the time, along with seven other people at a village shelter. He said everyone fled the moment of the quake struck.

“All people went home immediately afterward to check up on their family and property,” Ades said.

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

A massive tsunami hit Aceh province in Indonesia and other countries in the Indian Ocean rim on December 26 2004, killing about 230,000 people, most of them in Aceh that located in northern Sumatra.[]