| Recent big earthquake at Sumatra, Indonesia, pictures - March 28, '05 |
| Seismologists have been studying the devastation left behind by the Dec. 26 earthquake and tsunami.They warned that another big earthquake was likely to hit the Indian Ocean area in three months. |
| The quake near Indonesia is powerful enough to be "one of the four or five biggest earthquakes in the last century,"- a seismologist with the United States Geological Survey (USGS) |
| A massive earthquake off the coast of Indonesia had a magnitude 8.7 and had a chance of spawning a tsunami in Asia |
| The earthquake was the biggest aftershock since the December 26 quake in the same region that measured 9.0 on the Richter scale and caused a tsunami wave that killed 286,000 people in countries around the Indian Ocean. The epicenter of the new quake was about 205 kilometers (125 miles) west of Sibolga on Sumatra and 245 km (150 miles) southwest of the Sumatra city of Medan. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii warned of the potential for tsunami or tidal waves following the quake. Authorities in those regions should be aware of possibility and take immediate action. This action should include evacuation of coasts within 1,000 kilometers of the epicenter. |
| The islands of Nias and Simeulue off the western coast of Sumatra bore the brunt of the quake, which was only 100 miles from the horrific Dec. 26 earthquake that left some 220,000 dead or missing. |
| Some 80 percent of buildings in Gunung Sitoli had been damaged or destroyed. Rescuers said Tuesday that more than 1,000 people are feared to have died when a huge earthquake hit this northwest Indonesian island. Indonesian officials said at least 430 people had been confirmed dead on Nias and neighboring Simeulue island off northwest Sumatra About a third of Gunung Sitoli, the main town in Nias, is reported to have undergone the heaviest damage. It is estimated that more than 1,000 people in Nias island died," |
| The POWERFUL earthquake measuring up to 8.7 on the Richter scale affected Indonesia's tsunami-devastated Sumatra island late today, causing major panic and power blackouts. The earthquake hit between the island's main cities of Pedang and Medan at around 11.15pm and lasted up to three minutes, |
| The epicentre of March 28, 2005 earthquake was 201km west-north-west of Sibolga, Sumatra, or 1416km north-west of the Indonesian capital of Jakarta, close to where the December 26 9.0 quake struck. |
| Thailand urged people living along parts of its west coast, including tourists on the resort island of Phuket, to evacuate while Malaysia issued a warning to coastal residents. About 3000 to 4000 tourists and locals have been evacuated from Patong and Kamala beaches to higher places. |
| A powerful earthquake struck off Indonesia's west coast late monday, March 28, killing scores of people whose homes collapsed on them and spreading panic across the Indian Ocean that another killer tsunami was on the way. Indonesian earthquake in the Nias region may kill Up to 2,000. |
| Almost all the deaths reported after the 8.7-magnitude quake were on Indonesia's Nias island, a popular surfing spot off Sumatra island's west coast and close to the epicenter. Police were pulling children's' bodies out of the rubble of collapsed houses, and a fire was reportedly raging in one town. |
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| Gunung Sitoli on Nias Island, Indonesia |
| The city center of Gunung Sitoli on Nias Island lies in ruins after a powerful earthquake in the aerial photograph |
| Roads are badly damaged by earthquake in Nias island, Indonesia, Tuesday, March 29, 2005 |
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| Map showing epicenter of 8.7 mag. earthquake at Nias, Sumatra on Mar 28, '05 |