Indonesia’s geophysics agency (BMKG) reported that a 7.3-magnitude earthquake struck west of Sumatra Island on Tuesday, resulting in a tsunami warning that lasted for around two hours.
The tsunami warning has already been revoked, advising local authorities to direct concerned residents to evacuate away from beaches immediately.
The earthquake’s magnitude was previously estimated by the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) at 6.9.
At a depth of 84 kilometres (52.2 miles), the earthquake struck at around three in the morning local time (2000 GMT). Later, several aftershocks were found, one of which had a magnitude of five, according to BMKG data.
According to spokesperson Abdul Muhari of Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency, information was being gathered from the islands off the west coast of Sumatra that were closest to the epicentre.
According to Abdul, who was in Padang when the earthquake struck, some people moved away from the beaches as a result of how intensely it was felt there.
“People left their homes. Some were panicking but under control. Currently some of them are evacuating away from the sea,” he said.
Local news footage showed some Padang residents moving to higher land on foot and by motorbike. Some people wore backpacks, while others hid under umbrellas to avoid the rain.
“On the Siberut island, people had already been evacuated. They have been told to stay at the evacuation area until tsunami warning is lifted,” Noviandri, a local official told TvOne.
Due to its location at the meeting point of many plates of the earth’s crust, known as the Pacific Ring of Fire, Indonesia suffers regular earthquakes.
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