7.8 quake hits off Indonesia’s Sumatra island; tsunami watch issued

7.8 quake strikes off Indonesia’s Sumatra island

JAKARTA, Indonesia — A 7.8 earthquake shook Indonesia’s northwest island of Sumatra early Wednesday, prompting a brief tsunami warning and sending residents rushing for higher ground. There were no immediate reports of widespread damage.

The quake struck at 5:15 a.m. (2215 GMT) and was centered 125 miles (205 kilometers) northwest of Sibolga in Sumatra at a depth of 28.6 miles (46 kilometers), the U.S. Geological Survey said.

The Indonesia Meteorology and Geophysics Agency issued a tsunami warning following the quake, but lifted it two hours later. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Honolulu also issued a tsunami watch. The center said no tsunami threat existed for other coastal areas in the Indian Ocean, although some areas could experience small sea level changes and strong or unusual coastal currents.

Fauzi, an official at the meteorology agency’s Jakarta office who uses a single name, said there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties but officials were monitoring the situation.

Local media reports said the quake, which struck as people in the region were preparing for morning prayers, caused panic in North Sumatra’s capital of Medan and other cities in the province. Electricity was cut in Medan.

People in some cities along the southeastern coast of Sumatra as well as Sinabang on Simeulue island and Gunung Sitoli on nearby Nias island poured into the streets and rushed to higher ground, reports said.