Tsunami Warning Issued For Thai Coastal Provinces Following 8.9-Scale Quake In Indonesia

[cardholder]

Just spoken to a friend in Phuket - he has been moved to the roof of his hotel.

Sound precaution

[ManInSurat]

I was in Ao Nang, Krabi at the time of the quake, but didn't feel anything as I was on the scooter. The sirens installed after 2004 sounded around 3.30pm.

All of Ao Nang has evaquated and moved to higher ground or in land. I myself have driven to Lotus next to the Airport as I knew they'd have a Wifi hotspot.

A lot of panic here and I've already seen amublances with sirens wailing heading in the other direction with accident being caused by everyone being on the road at the same time.

Having read all the official agency information I can, it seems that this Earthquake has generated much more lateral movement than vertical undersea and therefore from the initial quake it's unlikely there'll be any significant Tsunami for Thailand.

The greater worry is, is that the first major aftershock was supposed to have happened around now and that could cause vertical movement in the water and we won't know until after 8pm if there's going to be any serious increase in water level until around then.

It was literally a max exodus from Ao Nang and it started raining exactly at the same time.

Imagined if it had happened on the 13th? That would have been utterly mental.

More updates if there's anything newsworthy I can add.

(Sources: BBC & USGS.)

Edited April 11, 2012 by ManInSurat

[KimoMax]

There was an additional Quake Aftershock of 8.3 at about 6:00pm local Thai time.

The initial quake was a 8.7 Quake about 3 hours earlier.

No one know for sure if a Tsumnami will hit anywhere.

It is Wise to take the Warnings seriously and take proper precautions. No need to panic, just be prepared just in case.

Stay away from Beaches, Ocean's, and Harbors. Head to higher safe ground until at least 2 hours after and estimates of arrival times of Tsumnami's. Now with this new Large Aftershock, at present it would not be wise to go near the Ocean or Beaches until about midnight.

[JAS21]

English news on Channel TBPS now

Late extra have just announced that an english update on the hour

Edited April 11, 2012 by JAS21

[simon43]

I'm about 800 metres from the beach at Phuket Airport. The local loudspeaker system are giving a running commentary and news.

BTW - From monitoring the response by the local Phuket radio stations, such as Bluewave and Phuket Island Radio, can I say that they totally SUCK!! Bluewave is playing Buddhist chants for the Royal funeral and PIR has some nice pop music. I tuned on shortwave to the BBC for uptodate news.

Did I say that the local radio stations suck??! Just in case anyone missed that comment. Shame on them

Simon

[JetsetBkk]

ThaiPBS TV Channel @ 518.50 MHz - English News Service on the hour, every hour.

Edit:

Didn't happen! Supajohn Klinsuwan is the Thai English speaking reporter who is usually quite reliable. Not this time though.

Edited April 11, 2012 by JetsetBkk

[Roel]

Mini-busses with tourists arriving now here in Kathu in search for a safe place to spend the night. Not sure if hotels are evacuating or the people took the initiative themselves. Can imagine hotels in Phuket Town will be soon fully booked.

[webfact]

RT @mpoppel: BREAKING -- 6.1-magnitude aftershock hits 341 km (211 miles) SSW of Simeulue, Aceh

[TomTao]

RT says the tsunami warning has been cancelled, but about 45 min ago there was an 8.2 a bit further out and at half the depth, no new warning on the USGS eathquake map as yet.

Posted with Thaivisa App http://apps.thaivisa.com

[fraksken]

http://www.pbwatch.net/node/102

[olsen]

Danish news agency says a 5 meter high wave has hit Banda Aceh!

[webfact]

RT @MarcusBurtBKK: Sky news say 4 inch high tsunami has hit the Andaman coast

[Jayman]

RT @MarcusBurtBKK: Sky news say 4 inch high tsunami has hit the Andaman coast

4 inch? That can't be right.

[churchill]

Videos From Indonesia Following 8.7 Earthquake

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/videos-indonesia-following-87-earthquake

[webfact]

Small tsunami reaches Thailand after huge quake

Bangkok, April 11, 2012 (AFP) - A small tsunami measuring 10 centimetres (four inches) reached Thailand's Andaman Coast on Wednesday after a massive earthquake off the coast of Indonesia, an official said.

"A 10-centimetre tsunami wave generated by the first earthquake hit Koh Miang off Phang Nga," the director of Thailand's National Disaster Warning Centre, Somsak Khaosuwan, said on Thai television.

"But we cannot be complacent," he added, noting there had been several powerful aftershocks. "So we are maintaining the warning."

The centre earlier advised people on the Andaman coast, a magnet for foreign tourists, to move to higher places and stay as far away as possible from the sea.

The area was battered by an Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004 that killed an estimated 5,400 people in Thailand alone.

Since then, Thailand has installed a high-tech warning system designed to reassure tourists and businesses that the country's beaches are safe.

The latest Thai alert, triggered by an 8.6-magnitude quake off Sumatra island, covers six southern Andaman coastal provinces.

Flights to Phuket were diverted to other airports as passengers and staff were evacuated to higher ground, officials said.

The tremor was felt as far afield as Thailand and southern India.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2012-04-11

[GentlemanJim]

Danish news agency says a 5 meter high wave has hit Banda Aceh!

?????

Any more info Olsen?

[webfact]

RT @mpoppel: REU: U.S. PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER DOESN'T EXPECT "DAMAGE BASIN

WIDE" ACROSS INDIAN OCEAN

RT @mpoppel: REU: TSUNAMI DANGER SEEN TO PARTS OF INDONESIA'S NORTHERN SUMATRA

COAST-PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER

[dickyknee]

got an email from DFAT (Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade)

This is an automated e-mail notification from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's Smartraveller advisory service.

The following Travel Advice has changed or been added since our last update ( 5 Apr 2012 11:12:09 EST):

* Thailand

http://www.smartraveller.gov.au/zw-cgi/view/Advice/Thailand

Current Advice Level: "High degree of caution"

Change Summary:

It contains new information in the Summary and under Additional information: Natural disasters, severe weather and climate (on 11 April 2012, a magnitude 8.7 earthquake occurred in the Indian Ocean off the east coast of Arch, Indonesia). The overall level of the advice has not changed.

[CHANGOVER]

Any more news AT ALL?

[spacemand]

13.31: En fem meter høj bølge er slået ind over stranden i Aceh-provinsen i Indonesien, melder svenske nødhjælpsarbejdere i området ifølge Ritzau.

Translation:

A 5 meter high wave have hit the beach in Aceh province in Indonesia, reports Swedish relief works in the area according to Ritzau

Source Danish newspaper: http://ekstrabladet....icle1740175.ece

Ritzau is a Danish news agency.

Edited April 11, 2012 by spacemand

[webfact]

RT @phuketgazette: Tsunami-response team of Patong DDPM officeres have been ordered to remain on standby until 8pm & to await further orders

[ttelise]

Danish news agency says a 5 meter high wave has hit Banda Aceh!

If true, certainly result of 8.2 and not original lateral quake.

[MEL1]

http://edition.cnn.com/2012/04/11/world/asia/indonesia-earthquake/index.html?hpt=ias_c1 LATEST: In bold!

Jakarta, Indonesia (CNN) -- A massive earthquake struck off the coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra on Wednesday afternoon, triggering a tsunami alert for the Indian Ocean.

The quake struck about 434 kilometers (270 miles) southwest of Banda Aceh, the capital of Indonesia's Aceh province, and had a magnitude of 8.6, the U.S. Geological Survey said. It took place at a depth of 23 kilometers (14 miles).

A second quake, magnitude 8.2, occurred off the west coast of Sumatra about two hours later, the USGS said.

Gary Gibson from the Seismology Research Center in Melbourne, Australia, said the location of the second quake reduces the possibility of a tsunami.

There were no immediate reports of destruction or deaths Wednesday.

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said on local television that there were no reports of casualties or damage in Aceh.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued a tsunami watch for the entire Indian Ocean, and the Indonesian Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency said it had put up a tsunami warning as well.

Sea level readings indicate a tsunami was generated, the warning center said. "It may already have been destructive along some coasts."

How are earthquakes measured?

The center also said that "when no major waves have occurred for at least two hours after the estimated arrival time or damaging waves have not occurred for at least two hours, then local authorities can assume the threat is passed."

Keep safe, but it would appear not long to go for a passed warning.

And note: Thailand has invested in these warning programs after 2004, and they appear to have worked..... as you are all alert to the situ, and on high ground observing. Hats off to the warning systems implemented, and to TVisa for propogating early warnings.

-mel.

Still keep alert for the next 2 hours though, even if it is getting dark. Food will be sufficive.

-mel.

[webfact]

Myanmar issues a 6-meter tsunami warning. PM and ICT Minister to hold emergency address tonight. /TANN

[LivinginKata]

Any more news AT ALL?

Well I am here in Kata Phuket and so far there has been nothing worth reporting. All seems Ok.

[Mosha]

BBC News World has just reported, after several severe aftershocks. Tsunami warnings are still in place.

[Valentine]

Ridiculous clip from BBC a short while ago showing evacuation from Lee Plaza Hotel in Hat Yai & relating it to the tsunami.

[petedk]

Be careful because Ekstra Bladet is a newspaper that likes to sensationalise.

Posted with Thaivisa App http://apps.thaivisa.com

[ObsessiveAddict]

Ahh. good. koh phangan, koh tao and koh samui are safley tucked away on the other side.

[ttelise]

RT @MarcusBurtBKK: Sky news say 4 inch high tsunami has hit the Andaman coast

4 inch? That can't be right.

Sounds about right for first quake. The second more shallow 8.2 quake would seem to be more of a concern tsunami wise.