USGS: 7.8 quake hits Sumatra in Indonesia

USGS: 7.8 quake off Sumatra

NEW YORK — A magnitude 7.8 earthquake has rattled Indonesia’s northwest island of Sumatra, the U.S. Geological Survey reported Tuesday.

The quake struck at 2215 GMT (5:15 a.m. Wednesday local time) and was centered 205 kilometers (125 miles) northwest of Sibolga in Sumatra, and was 1,425 kilometers (880 miles) northwest of Jakarta, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

A tsunami watch was issued for the region, said the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Honolulu.

Japan’s Kyodo news agency said that the Jakarta-based Meteorological, Geophysics and Climatology agency issued a tsunami warning.

Kyodo also reported blackouts in Medan and Banda Aceh, the capital of Aceh Province.

The quake was 46 kilometers (28.6 miles) deep, the USGS said.