Magnitude 9.0 Earthquake - OFF THE WEST COAST OF NORTHERN SUMATRA

USGS Earthquake Hazards ^ | 2004 December 26 00:58:55 UTC

[bd476]

Magnitude 8.1 - OFF THE WEST COAST OF NORTHERN SUMATRA
2004 December 26 00:58:55 UTC

Preliminary Earthquake Report
West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center/NOAA/NWS

A great earthquake occurred at 00:58:55 (UTC) on Sunday, December 26, 2004. The magnitude 8.1 event has been located OFF THE WEST COAST OF NORTHERN SUMATRA. (This event has been reviewed by a seismologist.)

Magnitude	8.1
Date-Time	Sunday, December 26, 2004 at 00:58:55 (UTC) = Coordinated Universal Time Sunday, December 26, 2004 at 6:58:55 AM = local time at epicenter
Location	3.400°N, 95.700°E
Depth	40 km (24.9 miles) set by location program
Region	OFF THE WEST COAST OF NORTHERN SUMATRA
Distances	235 km (145 miles) S of Banda Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia 330 km (205 miles) W of Medan, Sumatra, Indonesia 1620 km (1000 miles) NW of JAKARTA, Java, Indonesia 3405 km (2120 miles) SE of NEW DELHI, Delhi, India
Location Uncertainty	Error estimate not available
Parameters	Nst=020, Nph=020, Dmin=>999 km, Rmss=0.98 sec, Gp=101°, M-type=moment magnitude (Mw), Version=1
Source	West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center/NOAA/NWS
Event ID	at00000264

Location Maps: 10-degree NEIC Maps Did you feel it? Report shaking and damage at your location. You can also view a map displaying accumulated data from your report and others. Historical Moment Tensor Solutions Seismic Hazard Map Historical Seismicity Theoretical P-Wave Travel Times Magnitude 7 and Greater Earthquakes This Year TsunamiBulletin Archive of newsworthy events

[oceanperch]

I saw this and a pic of before when the the water was sucked out. Fox news.

5.8 Hit the tip of the Aleutian Islands in Alaska Tues. morning.

I see other quakes are making it on the USGS world list again, for a few days it was all the Banda Ache (sp) area.

I could not stand the wondering anymore and called the Marine Science Center to ask them it we have had any tidal changes. They said everything is flowing the way it is supposed to be, relax and go have a hamburger. LOL I asked them if they were getting allot of calls and they said (laughing) noooo (laughing).

[commonguymd]

Where did you hear these first reports from? Curious as to what the name of the city is.

I have seen BBC and CNN reports on mass graves. Very sad.

[VNam68]

I have a good friend who was suppose to be back the 26th. I know they have a place on Phuket. No word yet from them. Where do I go to find list of people? Thanks for any help.

[commonguymd]

I know you can post who you are looking for on bbc and cnn, but I am unaware and cannot find a list. Not much help, but I will hopefully stumble on something to help you.

[commonguymd]

The toll-free number to the task force is 888 407-4747. this is the US state department hotline for missing people in the disaster.

[VNam68]

Thank you very much!

[VNam68]

They will not give any imformation yet. I have to be family. She told me to call back in couple days.

[bd476]

VNam68 said: "I have a good friend who was suppose to be back the 26th. I know they have a place on Phuket. No word yet from them. Where do I go to find list of people? Thanks for any help."

As you've probably heard, at this point efforts in all tsunami impacted areas are focused on finding any more survivors and then in assisting passage of those survivors to safety, medical care, food and shelter.

VNam68, here's what I was able to find, although thus far, there is no online list:

U.S. State Department Hotline
For information about U.S. Citizens affected by the Asian Earthquake:
888-407-4747 : within the U.S., tollfree
317-472-2328 : outside the U.S.
202-647-5225 : Washington, D.C. area Organizations

From Secretary of State Colin Powell's news conference December 27, 2004:

"The United States has been following this situation from the very beginning. Our embassies are working in the affected areas to assist contacting families and others, U.S. citizens who are unaccounted for.

At the moment, we know of eight Americans who have died and there are several hundred who are not accounted for yet. It just means we haven't been able to reach out and get contact with them. It does not imply that they are necessarily injured or in any way a casualty.

For family members seeking information about one of their loved ones, they can contact the hotline number that we have, 1-888-407-4747. You can also go to the State Department website to get information about each of the countries involved, and that's state.gov..."

Some links:

USAID

USAID Fact Sheet December 29, 2004

Center for International Disaster Information

Meanwhile prayers up and good thoughts for the safe return of your friend.

[VNam68]

Thank you very much for your help.

[bd476]

Please keep us posted and hope you hear good news about your friend soon.

[Palladin]

I hope you hear from your friend soon.

Anderson Cooper on CNN said that the State Dept. is getting 400 calls a day from Americans inquiring about their loved ones.

It is estimated that there are 1,000 missing U.S. citizens (if I heard correctly).

Many may just be in transit and are too shocked or too numb to call friends. At least, that's what I hope, for the sake of the seekers.

[capitan_refugio]

I have forgotten. I believe it was at an Australian website called "The Age." But it was linked from another site. Sorry.

[bd476]

Here's an update on after shocks and includes some moderate quakes in Japan and near Alaska.

Note that the after shocks to the 9.0 quake are generally decreasing in size and timing.

Worldwide Earthquake Activity in the Last Seven Days

Current Time:

Updated as of Wed Dec 29 23:46:27 UTC 2004.

DATE-(UTC)-TIME	Latitude	Longitude	Depth	Magnitude	Comments
yyyy/mm/dd hh:mm:ss	degrees	degrees	km
2004/12/29  21:12:59	5.20N	94.71E	25.8	5.7	NORTHERN SUMATRA, INDONESIA
2004/12/29  18:50:20	5.54N	94.35E	38.6	5.6	NORTHERN SUMATRA, INDONESIA
2004/12/29  13:58:52	38.51N	141.91E	54.8	5.0	NEAR EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN
2004/12/29  13:20:25	28.89N	130.44E	7.7	5.6	RYUKYU ISLANDS, JAPAN
2004/12/29  05:56:50	8.78N	93.22E	30.0	6.2	NICOBAR ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
2004/12/29  01:50:55	9.08N	93.79E	24.9	6.1	NICOBAR ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
2004/12/29  01:39:41	8.32N	93.18E	30.0	5.8	NICOBAR ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
2004/12/28  21:47:26	8.93N	93.74E	9.5	5.5	NICOBAR ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
2004/12/28  21:07:35	53.29N	173.82W	251.4	5.8	ANDREANOF ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN IS., ALASKA
2004/12/28  19:55:11	9.42N	93.66E	30.0	5.4	NICOBAR ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
2004/12/28  17:11:16	9.92N	93.81E	46.3	5.4	NICOBAR ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
2004/12/28  14:08:43	10.39N	93.02E	30.0	5.3	ANDAMAN ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
2004/12/28  11:17:43	4.71N	95.18E	28.2	5.8	NORTHERN SUMATRA, INDONESIA
2004/12/28  09:30:40	37.25N	138.80E	36.0	5.1	NEAR WEST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN
2004/12/28  05:36:13	9.51N	93.73E	30.0	5.4	NICOBAR ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
2004/12/28  03:20:19	6.81N	92.81E	18.8	5.3	NICOBAR ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
2004/12/28  00:37:53	7.66N	94.16E	37.2	5.4	NICOBAR ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
2004/12/27  20:36:18	8.98N	93.69E	30.0	5.4	NICOBAR ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
2004/12/27  20:10:48	2.91N	95.62E	10.0	5.7	SIMEULUE, INDONESIA
2004/12/27  19:28:49	8.57N	93.64E	10.0	5.4	NICOBAR ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
2004/12/27  17:40:01	5.60N	93.16E	10.0	5.2	OFF THE WEST COAST OF NORTHERN SUMATRA
2004/12/27  16:18:07	4.84N	94.26E	10.0	4.9
2004/12/28  00:37:53	7.66N	94.16E	37.2	5.4	NICOBAR ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
2004/12/27  20:36:18	8.98N	93.69E	30.0	5.4	NICOBAR ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
2004/12/27  20:10:48	2.91N	95.62E	10.0	5.7	SIMEULUE, INDONESIA
2004/12/27  19:28:49	8.57N	93.64E	10.0	5.4	NICOBAR ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
2004/12/27  17:40:01	5.60N	93.16E	10.0	5.2	OFF THE WEST COAST OF NORTHERN SUMATRA
2004/12/27  16:18:07	4.84N	94.26E	10.0	4.9	OFF THE WEST COAST OF NORTHERN SUMATRA
2004/12/27  16:08:15	5.79N	93.12E	10.0	4.4	OFF THE WEST COAST OF NORTHERN SUMATRA
2004/12/27  15:49:32	7.20N	92.27E	30.0	4.6	NICOBAR ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
2004/12/27  15:41:03	10.47N	92.86E	34.0	4.8	ANDAMAN ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
2004/12/27  15:20:32	10.60N	93.59E	13.9	5.1	ANDAMAN ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
2004/12/27  14:46:46	12.35N	92.50E	19.0	5.8	ANDAMAN ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
2004/12/27  14:30:31	8.55N	93.86E	15.3	5.2	NICOBAR ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
2004/12/27  14:20:55	8.27N	93.55E	30.0	4.8	NICOBAR ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
2004/12/27  13:34:26	2.74N	95.64E	30.0	4.7	SIMEULUE, INDONESIA
2004/12/27  12:58:15	7.76N	93.23E	30.0	4.6	NICOBAR ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
2004/12/27  12:13:59	12.80N	92.68E	27.7	5.2	ANDAMAN ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
2004/12/27  11:57:53	8.08N	92.28E	12.6	5.1	NICOBAR ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
2004/12/27  10:46:47	13.65N	93.07E	23.8	5.3	ANDAMAN ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
2004/12/27  10:46:38	13.66N	93.10E	30.0	5.1	ANDAMAN ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
2004/12/27  10:36:23	38.75N	122.73W	2.9	4.3	NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
2004/12/27  10:05:02	4.78N	95.11E	24.7	5.9	NORTHERN SUMATRA, INDONESIA
2004/12/27  09:57:52	7.72N	92.67E	8.5	5.6	NICOBAR ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
2004/12/27  09:39:06	5.36N	94.66E	35.0	6.1	NORTHERN SUMATRA, INDONESIA
2004/12/27  08:37:38	6.49N	93.26E	30.0	5.7	NICOBAR ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
2004/12/27  08:21:39	5.54N	94.60E	48.1	5.4	NORTHERN SUMATRA, INDONESIA
2004/12/27  06:59:15	3.01N	95.54E	30.0	5.4	OFF THE WEST COAST OF NORTHERN SUMATRA
2004/12/27  05:16:34	14.03N	93.09E	30.0	4.7	ANDAMAN ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
2004/12/27  05:10:52	6.00N	93.21E	26.4	4.9	OFF W COAST OF NORTHERN SUMATRA
2004/12/27  03:04:38	4.26S	152.68E	64.7	5.2	NEW BRITAIN REGION, P.N.G.
2004/12/27  00:49:28	13.00N	92.43E	18.5	6.1	ANDAMAN ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
2004/12/27  00:32:16	5.49N	94.45E	30.0	6.0	NORTHERN SUMATRA, INDONESIA
2004/12/27  00:24:29	4.47N	93.76E	10.0	5.4	OFF THE WEST COAST OF NORTHERN SUMATRA
2004/12/27  00:24:01	39.82N	120.79W	5.4	3.4	NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
2004/12/26  21:13:44	39.82N	120.79W	5.1	3.8	NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
2004/12/26  21:06:51	4.59N	96.37E	45.0	5.6	NORTHERN SUMATRA, INDONESIA
2004/12/26  20:50:32	6.36N	126.89E	102.5	5.8	MINDANAO, PHILIPPINES
2004/12/26  19:19:56	2.78N	94.17E	30.0	6.2	OFF W COAST OF NORTHERN SUMATRA
2004/12/26  19:03:49	4.11N	94.24E	30.0	5.5	OFF W COAST OF NORTHERN SUMATRA
2004/12/26  18:42:43	13.75N	92.97E	23.5	5.3	ANDAMAN ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
2004/12/26  15:12:22	6.70N	92.99E	19.5	5.5	NICOBAR ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
2004/12/26  15:06:35	3.66N	94.01E	30.0	6.1	OFF W COAST OF NORTHERN SUMATRA
2004/12/26  14:48:44	13.63N	92.87E	30.0	5.8	ANDAMAN ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
2004/12/26  13:56:40	2.77N	94.46E	30.0	5.9	OFF W COAST OF NORTHERN SUMATRA
2004/12/26  12:11:58	11.54N	92.42E	30.0	5.5	ANDAMAN ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
2004/12/26  12:09:41	12.23N	92.61E	13.4	5.4	ANDAMAN ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
2004/12/26  11:05:01	13.57N	92.87E	13.1	6.2	ANDAMAN ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
2004/12/26  10:51:20	7.59N	92.33E	30.0	5.6	NICOBAR ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
2004/12/26  10:19:28	13.47N	92.78E	5.8	6.3	ANDAMAN ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
2004/12/26  10:18:13	8.97N	93.72E	14.4	5.5	NICOBAR ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
2004/12/26  09:20:01	8.91N	92.35E	10.3	6.6	NICOBAR ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
2004/12/26  07:38:27	13.15N	93.02E	30.0	5.8	ANDAMAN ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
2004/12/26  07:07:12	10.37N	93.73E	30.0	5.6	ANDAMAN ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
2004/12/26  06:38:39	6.71N	92.94E	37.6	5.5	NICOBAR ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
2004/12/26  06:22:02	10.67N	92.33E	38.9	5.5	ANDAMAN ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
2004/12/26  04:21:29	6.89N	92.90E	36.9	7.1	NICOBAR ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
2004/12/26  04:10:12	5.49N	92.92E	34.7	5.4	OFF W COAST OF NORTHERN SUMATRA
2004/12/26  03:56:28	37.96N	118.66W	7.8	3.9	CENTRAL CALIFORNIA
2004/12/26  03:19:15	3.72N	93.82E	30.0	5.6	OFF THE WEST COAST OF NORTHERN SUMATRA
2004/12/26  03:17:52	7.16N	92.85E	30.0	5.8	NICOBAR ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
2004/12/26  03:08:44	13.74N	93.07E	30.0	5.9	ANDAMAN ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
2004/12/26  02:59:14	3.20N	94.34E	30.0	5.8	OFF W COAST OF NORTHERN SUMATRA
2004/12/26  02:52:01	12.48N	92.57E	30.0	6.0	ANDAMAN ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
2004/12/26  02:36:09	12.18N	92.96E	31.2	5.9	ANDAMAN ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
2004/12/26  02:34:52	4.01N	94.15E	30.0	5.7	OFF W COAST OF NORTHERN SUMATRA
2004/12/26  02:22:03	8.83N	92.54E	28.0	5.9	NICOBAR ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
2004/12/26  02:15:56	12.35N	92.54E	7.9	5.7	ANDAMAN ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
2004/12/26  01:48:49	5.41N	94.46E	32.7	5.8	NORTHERN SUMATRA, INDONESIA
2004/12/26  01:21:21	6.39N	93.39E	30.0	6.2	NICOBAR ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
2004/12/26  00:58:53	3.27N	95.82E	30.0	9.0	OFF W COAST OF NORTHERN SUMATRA

[bd476]

BBC Online: Last Updated: Wednesday, 29 December, 2004, 09:25 GMT

Asia quake: Trace the missing

Thousands of people are still missing and millions are homeless following the Asia earthquake that has seen the death toll reach tens of thousands.

Huge waves triggered by the worst earthquake in 40 years have devastated large parts of South and South East Asia.

The BBC News website has received many messages from people eager to find out about the whereabouts of families and friends who live in or are visiting the region.

Can you help? Or, have you lost contact with someone in the region?

Use the form on the right to send your stories and please let us know if you do find anyone.

You can read our message board for missing persons by clicking on the links below.

---

Click here for those missing in Thailand

Click here for those missing in Sri Lanka

Click here for those missing in India

Click here for those missing in Indonesia

Click here for those missing in the Maldives

BBC Online form to trace the missing

[bd476]

In the following thread, I have added another online search site which is listing people looking for their missing loved ones who may have been in tsunami impacted areas.

Trace the Missing thread

[VNam68]

I thank you again.

[bd476]

Again, another update with a new website listed on the Trace the Missing Thread: Trace the Missing

[E Rocc]

It's now been revised from an earlier reading of 8.1 to 8.5. Local tsunamis are possible, but far ranging tsunamis are not predicted.

I'd say their prediction models need work. [/understatement]

-Eric

[bd476]

True, Eric. Again, USGS had said that the local authorities near the quake should be aware of the possibility of tsunamis after the 9.0 quake.

Apparently each country's officials must have assumed that past scant history of any tsunamis meant that they would continue to be in the clear.

Accurate forecast proves itself to be 20/20 hindsight. News reported today said that there has not been this large a catastrophic tsunami anywhere since several hundred years before Year Zero A.D.

[Chani]

back to the top bump for me

btttbfm ;)