Tsumani Warning! (Aceh Quake) 11 Apr 12

[DevonDiver]

Just received word of a severe tsunami warning, following recent Aceh quake (8.9) off Indonesia.

If you're in the west coast - please be careful and prepared to evacuate to high ground.

BBC News - Indonesia Aceh quake triggers Indian Ocean tsunami alert

 

[DevonDiver]

Tsunami Watch in effect:

Indonesia, India, Australia, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Maldives, United Kingdom, Malaysia, Mauritius, Reunion, Seychelles, Oman, Pakistan, Somalia, Madagascar, Iran, Uae, Yemen, Comores, Mozambique, Kenya, Tanzania, Crozet Islands, Bangladesh, Kerguelen Islands, South Africa, Singapore

Revised (8.7 -> 8.6): 8.6 earthquake, off the west coast of northern Sumatra. Apr 11 2:38pm at epicenter (1h:12m ago)

 

[DevonDiver]

Unconfirmed reports via Facebook that a 40cm wave is spreading from the epicentre, currently 1000km from Phuket. Evacuation sirens sounded in West Coast Thailand towns/cities.

 

[koozemani]

Hmmm. Trying to find this on one of the news channels. Nothing yet. Hope everyone is safe.

Edit. There we go. Phuket airport closed due to tsunami warnings.

 

[DevonDiver]

Aftershocks being felt in W.Coast Thailand. People are evacuating coastal areas there to the higher ground. Phuket airport suspends flights.

 

[Quero]

We dodged a bullet. On Phuket the warning towers sounded, there were manadatory evacuations of beach areas, and the airport (which is on the beach) was closed until the all clear was given, but there was no water, thankfully!

There have been aftershocks, including an 8.2, which according to what I read diminished the chance of a destructive tsunami (to me this is counter-intuitive, but I'll read more to try to understand it).

Signed: "A relieved SBer from the affected region"

 

[DevonDiver]

Very relieved that the waves didn't come again. Have so many friends who live and work in coastal regions around the effected area.

The warning took over 90 minutes to get publicized in the media here (Philippines). Social media, including Scubaboard, seems a far more efficient and reliable method of getting the word out to outlying/not immediately effected areas.

 

[Quero]

Andy, you can sign up for the USGS email notification system, which posts an email as soon as the event gets registered. Then they post an update, usually with an adjusted magnitude number. So, for example, the first report I got was 8.7 magnitude which was later adjusted to 8.6. I have a bookmark for tsunami warnings. No waiting for the news cycle for me when my house is 240 meters from the Indian Ocean!