News / Africa
South Africa under Tsunami watch
11 Apr 2012 at 08:41hrs | Views
Jakarta - Just after Indonesia issued a tsunami warning on Wednesday after an 8.7 magnitude earthquake hit waters off westernmost Aceh province, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre has effected a Tsunami watch on a number of African countries including South Africa, Somalia and Kenya.
People on Twitter said tremors were felt in Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and India. High-rise flats and offices on Malaysia's west coast shook for at least a minute.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre in Hawaii said a tsunami watch was in effect for Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, Australia, Myanmar, Thailand, the Maldives and other Indian Ocean islands, Malaysia, Pakistan, Somalia, Oman, Iran, Bangladesh, Kenya, South Africa and Singapore.
A tsunami watch means there is the potential for a tsunami, not that one is imminent.
The US Geological Survey said the powerful quake was centred 33km beneath the ocean floor around 495km from Aceh's provincial capital.
Said, an official at Indonesia's Meteorology and Geophysics Agency who goes by only one name, said a tsunami warning has been issued.
Indonesia straddles a series of fault lines that makes the vast island nation prone to volcanic and seismic activity.
A giant 9.1-magnitude quake off the country on December 26 2004 triggered a tsunami in the Indian Ocean that killed 230 000 people, nearly three quarter of them in Aceh.
People on Twitter said tremors were felt in Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and India. High-rise flats and offices on Malaysia's west coast shook for at least a minute.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre in Hawaii said a tsunami watch was in effect for Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, Australia, Myanmar, Thailand, the Maldives and other Indian Ocean islands, Malaysia, Pakistan, Somalia, Oman, Iran, Bangladesh, Kenya, South Africa and Singapore.
A tsunami watch means there is the potential for a tsunami, not that one is imminent.
Said, an official at Indonesia's Meteorology and Geophysics Agency who goes by only one name, said a tsunami warning has been issued.
Indonesia straddles a series of fault lines that makes the vast island nation prone to volcanic and seismic activity.
A giant 9.1-magnitude quake off the country on December 26 2004 triggered a tsunami in the Indian Ocean that killed 230 000 people, nearly three quarter of them in Aceh.
Source - tsunami
