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

[BurbankKarl]

BBC just broke their coverage for a "wicket" in Durban WTF?

[NautiNurse]

Tidal Waves Kill More Than 3000 in Asia

[BurbankKarl]

Firemen salvage a Ferris wheel after it collapsed in tidal waves at the Marina Beach in Madras, in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, Sunday, Dec. 26, 2004. A massive tidal wave triggered by an earthquake in Indonesia slammed into several parts of southern India Sunday killing at least 286 people, most of them in Tamil Nadu state. The U.S. Geological Survey said the 8.9-magnitude earthquake in Indonesia is the largest in the world in 40 years. (AP Photo/M.Lakshman)

[BurbankKarl]

Talking to reporter in Bangladesh....estimates quake lasted for three minutes....8am local time.

[BurbankKarl]

BBC states unconfirmed sources states 180 dead in Chittagong, Bangladesh

[Petronski]

This event would seem to be very much like the Alaska quake of the early 60s, except the tidal wave in this event had far less distance to travel.

[BurbankKarl]

An official at Jakarta's Meteorology and Geophysics Office points to a seismograph read-out. More than 2,200 people were killed and hundreds more were missing feared dead after a huge earthquake off northern Indonesia triggered giant tidal waves and flash floods across western Asia

[MikefromOhio]

well thats a good thing

[BurbankKarl]

Latest BBC reports:

5th largest quake in 100 years

at least 3000 dead

India 1000, Sri Lanka 1500, Jakarta 280,

Sea floor displaced 10 meters.

[BurbankKarl]

1 million displaced in Sri Lanka

[BurbankKarl]

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Several foreign divers were killed on Sunday when they were hit by tsunamis while about 70 were exploring the famed Emeral Cave off southern Thailand on Sunday, police said.

Rescuers had reached the island and were trying to launch a rescue operation at the cave, which contains a tiny white sand beach and water turned emerald by sunshine through a hole in the top, they said.

Some dead and injured were at the cave, a major attraction for divers who have to swim under water to reach it, but no specific numbers were available immediately, they said.

Several dozen more foreigners were missing in the area, which is popular with recreational divers, following the tsunamis generated by an earthquake under the Indian Ocean, officials said.

[Petronski]

Sea floor displaced 10 meters.

Just wow.

[happy_happy_joy_joy]

Thanks for the link. I am listening to it now. This situation is so sad. I really feel for the people in these areas. The eyewitness accounts and vivid descriptions are quite scary.

[mfccinsd]

Yikes...that doubled quickly...I think it was just about an hour ago now they said half that...that's not a good sign...still really early and that's just Sri Lanka. Wow.

[BurbankKarl]

Yes, but this number is going to go up even more when its light again I am afraid...

1600 dead in Sri Lanka

many others missing

mines used in the civil war have been unearthed.

[auggy]

"1) Anyone believing natural disasters are specific punishments for given localities is an idiot. 2) Anyone actively praying for that sort of thing is deranged."

You know that sounds like a reasonable and rational assumption to make, but Islam is totally different than anything that has ever happened to our world.

Islam's God, is not ours, and vice versa.

It does come down to 2 different God's. This is why there is so much violence, in my opinion. To pray to our God to show his dominance and superiority over Islam's so-called God, is not being an idiot and certainly not being deranged.

It shows me, that this person is deeply concerned and religious about today's war with Islam. Which, that is what it boils down to.

[auggy]

"9 casualties reported by CNN due to flash flood so far. Hope nobody really prays for this kind of thing."

I haven't read where anyone has prayed for this sort of thing. Why make this statement?

[snopercod]

Underground nuclear test by the North Koreans?

[auggy]

I would like to add to your explanation concerning your prayers. I'm certain they were to awaken Islam's people as to the real God and hopefully save millions of souls.

Not praying or wishing bodily harm on anyone.

[sissyjane]

FOX News reported over 3,000 dead as current estimate, but expected to go much higher.