Strong quake kills three, damages buildings in Indonesia

A powerful earthquake struck western Indonesia, killing three people and injuring 25 others.

A tsunami warning was briefly triggered, but no waves were detected. The US Geological Survey said the quake on Wednesday had a preliminary magnitude of 7.6 and struck under the island of Simeulue off the western coast of Sumatra, the region worst hit in the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. The undersea quake struck at 3:08 pm (1338 IST) some 312 kilometres west-southwest of the North Sumatra capital Medan, at a depth of 34 kilometres. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued an alert saying coastlines close to the epicenter were at risk of a possible tsunami. It cancelled the warning two hours later after no large waves were generated. The quake was felt across much of western and northern Sumatra, where many people led swaying homes and buildings. In coastal areas, residents ran to high ground in fear of a tsunami. There is no possibility of a tsunami hitting any Indian region following the massive undersea earthquake off Sumarta. There have been no changes in the water level in the sea, said the official at INCOIS, which houses the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System.

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