Indonesia Earthquake Triggers Indian Ocean Tsunami Alert An
8.7-magnitude earthquake hit off the northern coast of Indonesia
Wednesday, triggering a tsunami alert for the region. The
Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) has issued an Indian Ocean
wide tsunami watch placing countries in the region, including
Indonesia, India, and Australia, on alert. "Sea level readings
indicate a tsunami was generated. It may have already been
destructive along some coasts," the latest PTWC tsunami alert
read. "Based on the data the threat continues for all coastal
areas of the Indian Ocean," the warning added. The powerful
quake hit 308 miles off the northern Indonesian city of Banda
Aceh, but was also felt as far away as Singapore, Thailand, and
Sri Lanka. "The quake was felt very strongly. Electricity is
down, there's traffic jams to access higher ground. Sirens and
Quran recitals from mosque are everywhere," a spokesman for the
Phuket Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Center told Reuters
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