Tsunami Alert in Asia Pacific Region

[NOV]

Dozens dead, villages flat in Samoa quake, tsunami

Seventy communities hit with a death toll of at least 36 people

Agence France-PresseSeptember 29, 2009

At least 36 people were killed when an 8.0-magnitude earthquake and devastating tsunami hit the remote Pacific islands of Samoa and American Samoa Tuesday, wiping out tourist resorts and villages.

Buildings were toppled and thousands of people fled to higher ground after the offshore quake struck in the early morning, followed by giant waves which swept cars out to sea.

At least 22 were confirmed dead in American Samoa, while the Red Cross said another 14 were dead in Samoa and warned that the death toll was expected to rise amid unconfirmed reports of scores missing.

Eyewitnesses reported walls of water of between three and nine metres pounding the shore, wiping out villages and shattering holiday resorts.

Samoa's deputy prime minister Misa Telefoni said a resort area popular with foreigners was "devastated" by the tsunami that followed the monster quake and that residents and holidaymakers had little time to flee.

"We've heard that most of the resorts are totally devastated on that side of the island.

"We've had a pretty grim picture painted of all that coast," he said.

Two of the country's most popular resorts, Sinalei Reef Resort and Coconuts Beach Resort, off the west coast of the main island of Upolu, had been hit hard, he told the Australian Associated Press.

There was widespread destruction in Samoa with possibly thousands of people left homeless on the island, local journalist Jona Tuiletufuga told AFP.

"We are getting reports of missing people in areas where damage is extensive on the south and southeast coasts," he told AFP."

"Entire villages have been wiped out."

Tuiletufuga said there were up to 70 villages in the worst-hit area and each housed from 300-800 people.

Apia, capital of the independent state of Samoa and nearly 3,000 kilometres from Auckland in New Zealand, was evacuated as officials scrambled to get thousands of residents to higher ground.

Officials in American Samoa, about 100 kilometres from Samoa, said at least 22 people were dead and that the toll was expected to climb.

"It could take a week or so before we know the full extent," Michael Sala, Homeland Security director in American Samoa, told AFP.

Waves measuring around 7.5-metres high did most of the damage as they swept ashore about 20 minutes after the earthquake, demolishing buildings in coastal areas, he said.

[NOV]

Tsunami smashes Samoas...Earthquake rocks Indonesia

APIA, Samoa (AP) Samoan villages have disappeared under a massive tsunami hurled by a powerful earthquake. The death toll is 99 and expected to climb on the pacific islands of Samoa and American Samoa where cars and people were swept out to sea.

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) Witnesses tell local television hundreds of houses have come down and telephone lines are not working in Indonesia after a powerful offshore earthquake along the same fault line the spawned the massive 2004 Asian tsunami. The preliminary magnitude has been put between 7.6 and 7.9. but a tsunami alert has been lifted.

[NOV]

Powerful Indonesia quake felt in Malaysia


Agence France-Presse
First Posted 20:54:00 09/30/2009

Filed Under: Disasters (general), Earthquake


KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia's west coast felt tremors late Wednesday following a powerful 7.9-magnitude that struck off neighboring Indonesia's Sumatra island, the Meteorological Department said.

In the capital Kuala Lumpur, hundreds of people ran out of their office buildings after they felt the tremor.

"Some states in the west coast of Malaysia felt the tremor," the Meteorological Department said it a statement but an official told AFP that it was not issuing a tsunami warning.

A 36-year-old employee of a foreign bank in the 30-storey Menara IMC building said she felt "dizzy" when the tremor hit.

"I felt dizzy and I felt like I was going to faint," she told AFP.

"Then there was an announcement to evacuate the building. Hundreds of people ran out of the building," she said.

In Indonesia's Sumatra island, which is separated from Malaysia by the narrow Malacca Strait, large buildings were reported destroyed" and communications cut off by the earthquake.

[NOV]

Malaysia TV news said that a Tsunami alert has been placed on India, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia!

[NOV]

Google: Tsunami Alert for New Zealand, the Philippines, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Hawaii, and others. Waves expected over the next few hours, caused by 8.9 earthquake in Japan.


http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_tv_tvblog/files/2011/03/PX00191_911.jpg

[NOV]

A 33ft tsunami has killed at least 60 people and left 56 missing as it swept over Japan's northeastern coast after the country's biggest earthquake in recorded history.

The 8.9 magnitude megaquake caused a huge wave that hit the port of Sendai city, sending ships crashing into the shore and carrying cars and buildings through streets.

A ship carrying around 100 people was among those swept away.

The quake also rocked the capital, Tokyo, which one of the cities shaken by at least 20 subsequent aftershocks.

Police in Iwate prefecture, near the epicentre, confirmed the deaths of 17 people there.

Mass evacuations took place after tsunami warnings were issued for the entire Pacific basin.

But despite warnings from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the tsunamis have reached several countries without causing major damage.

Japanese news agencies said the country had requested US forces' help in the relief effort.

The earthquake - one of the strongest ever recorded - has obliterated Tokyo's Disneyland car park and caused large fires at sites including an oil refinery in nearby Iichihara.

Large aftershocks repeatedly hit the capital, following an initial tremor so strong it was felt 1,500 miles away in the Chinese capital Beijing.

The International Atomic Energy Agency said a heightened state of alert was in effect at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, with 2,000 residents in surrounding areas urged to evacuate.

A state of emergency had also been declared at Onagawa nuclear plant in Miyagi prefecture after a fire broke out in a turbine building and an emergency cooling system failed.

But reports suggested the fire there had since been extinguished.

Japanese prime minister Naoto Kan had previously said there was no nuclear plant radiation leak caused by the disaster.

Airports and ports have been closed, while the Shinkansen 'bullet' train was stopped.

Millions of homes were left without power and Tokyo's fire department reported several people were injured when a roof caved in at a graduation ceremony in the city.

A hotel has also collapsed in Sendai, with people feared buried in the rubble.

Among the countries issued with alerts from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre in Hawaii were Guam, Taiwan, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Hawaii, New Zealand and Australia.

South America, Marcus Island and the Northern Marianas were also put on alert.

But authorities in Indonesia, Taiwan, Russia and the Philippines said minor tsunamis had caused little or no damage upon hitting their coastlines.

In Tokyo, large buildings shook violently and workers poured into the street for safety after the tremor struck.

Millions were evacuated in the capital as buildings continued to sway for hours after the initial quake.

Google has launched a people-finder website for those in Japan worried about the whereabouts of friends and relatives.

And a United Nations spokeswoman said international rescue teams were on alert should Japan request aid.

People in Japan have been speaking of their terror as the sea of debris swept inland.

Experts say the earthquake is the world's fifth strongest since 1900.

The Japanese government's top spokesman, Yukio Edano, said the country was sending troops to the quake-hit area to join relief efforts.

TV footage showed a large building on fire and billowing smoke in the Odaiba district of Tokyo.

Police and coast guard officials said they were assessing the scale of the damage from the quake.

Several quakes had hit the same region in recent days, including a 7.3 magnitude one on Wednesday.

A megaquake is defined as one exceeding seven on the Richter scale.

http://www.iwradio.co.uk/newscentre/world/fears-of-20ft-tsunami-after-tokyo-quake-15950160

[NOV]

http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/199743_1880528822703_1525792393_3425037_6219724_n. jpg

[NOV]

Tsunami waves begin striking Hawaii as residents take refuge


HONOLULU — Tsunami waves hit Hawaii in the early morning hours today and were sweeping through the island chain after an earthquake in Japan sparked evacuations throughout the Pacific and as far as the U.S. western coast.

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/03/tsunami_wakes_begin_striking_h.html

[NOV]

Subject: 10 things to learn from Japan


1. THE CALM
Not a single visual of chest-beating or wild grief. Sorrow itself has been elevated.

2. THE DIGNITY
Disciplined queues for water and groceries. Not a rough word or a crude gesture.

3. THE ABILITY
The incredible architects, for instance. Buildings swayed but didn’t fall.

4. THE GRACE
People bought only what they needed for the present, so everybody could get something.

5. THE ORDER
No looting in shops. No honking and no overtaking on the roads. Just understanding.

6. THE SACRIFICE
Fifty workers stayed back to pump sea water in the N-reactors. How will they ever be repaid?

7. THE TENDERNESS
Restaurants cut prices. An unguarded ATM is left alone. The strong cared for the weak.

8. THE TRAINING
The old and the children, everyone knew exactly what to do. And they did just that.

9. THE MEDIA
They showed magnificent restraint in the bulletins. No silly reporters. Only calm reportage.

10. THE CONSCIENCE
When the power went off in a store, people put things back on the shelves and left quietly

[NOV]

BREAKING NEWS: Indonesia Aceh quake triggers Indian Ocean tsunami alert


An earthquake with a magnitude of 8.6 has struck under the sea off Indonesia's northern Aceh province.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) said a tsunami had been generated but its likely impact was not yet clear.

It advised national authorities across the Indian Ocean region to "take appropriate action".

The region is regularly hit by earthquakes. The Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 killed 170,000 people in Aceh.

One official quoted by Reuters said a 17cm (6.7in) tsunami had been generated and was heading for the coast of Aceh.

The US Geological Survey (USGS), which documents quakes worldwide, said the Aceh quake was centred 33km (20 miles) under the sea about 495km from Banda Aceh, the provincial capital.

It was initially reported as 8.9 magnitude but was later revised down to 8.6 by the USGS. Strong aftershocks were also reported.

The BBC's Karishma Vaswani in Jakarta says there were reports of the ground shaking for up to five minutes.

'Remain vigilant'

People fled for higher ground in Aceh province
The PTWC alert said quakes of such a magnitude "have the potential to generate a widespread destructive tsunami that can affect coastlines across the entire Indian Ocean basin".

A later alert said that sea level readings indicated a tsunami was generated and that it "may already have been destructive along some coasts".

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono told reports in the capital that there had been no tsunami reports so far, "but we remain vigilant".

"Our warning system is working well, and I have ordered the national relief team to fly immediately to Aceh to ensure the situation is under control and to take any necessary action," he said.

Bruce Presgrave of the USGS told the BBC that the quake was caused by the earth moving horizontally, rather than vertically, therefore had not displaced large volumes of water.

"We can't rule out the possibility, but horizontal motion is less likely to produce a destructive tsunami," he said.

Sutopo, a spokesman for Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency, said electricty was down in Aceh and there were traffic jams to access higher ground.

"Sirens and Koran recitals from mosques are everywhere," he told Reuters.

'Minute of chaos'
The earthquake monitoring agency in Indonesia said the tsunami warning would remain in place for another few hours, but that there had been no reports so far of a low tide, which would indicate the water was receding before building into a tsunami.


The tremor was felt as far away as Singapore, Thailand, Sri Lanka and India.

"There was a tremor felt by all of us working in the building," a man called Vincent in Calcutta, India, told the BBC.

"All just ran out of the building and people were asked not to use the elevator. There was a minute of chaos where all started ringing up to their family and asking about their well-being."

The Thai office of disaster management said people along the coasts of Phuket, Phang Na and Andaman province should heed warnings and evacuate.

Tsunami warning sirens, set up in many vulnerable areas after the 2004 disaster, were heard in Phuket, where correspondents said people were calmly following evacuation routes to safe zones.

Indonesia straddles the Pacific Ring of Fire, a zone of major seismic activity.

[SoftSword]

last one was 11th march 2011 and this time its 11th april 2012...
any pattern there?

[NOV]

numerologyaa vadivel? :roll:
I heard tremors were felt as far as Coimbatore!

[SoftSword]

ada chae... andha karumatthula ellam namakku nambikkai illa..
exactly eleven months, so edhachum periodic moving of the plates'onu yosichaen...

[NOV]

exactly eleven months, ...maths layum weak pOla... :p

[SoftSword]

ok ok 13 :oops:
nemba weak... 4 attempts...

[hamid]

maths layum weak pOla... :p

:lol:

[SoftSword]

adha gavanichaen... oru smiley podalamnu pathaen... apram thread'oda seriousness karudhi CC'la pesikkalaamnu vittuten...

[SoftSword]

some rumours abt a tsunami in indonesia...
any news nov?

[NOV]

so far no news on tsunami
india has even withdrawn the tsunami alert

but for the rest of the region, malaysia etc, the alert is still on

[PARAMASHIVAN]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLPdHWjiMds&feature=player_embedded

[hamid]

NoV, saw the news a thay Tsunami alert for Malaysia with frew other countries is withdrawn.. but that news also said ,Andaman might get affected :(

[hamid]

Tsunami Watch Lifted For Thailand, Myanmar, Australia, Malaysia - US Monitoring Agency
Andaman Islands brace for 4-metre tsunami waves - @Reuters

[NOV]

Thanks Hamid... thats a relief!

[PARAMASHIVAN]

Read the countries in the list here


http://tamilwin.com/show-RUmqyESVOUkp1.html

[SoftSword]

ippo enna... someone pls write the status on which countries on danger and if indonesia felt any tidal waves...
PS: cannot open any links...

[NOV]

David Cameron has pledged Britain's support to Indonesia in the wake of an earthquake off Aceh province as he visited the country.

Speaking at a joint press conference with the Indonesian President in Jakarta, the Prime Minister said Britain "stood ready" to help in any way necessary.

He arrived in Indonesia Wednesday morning but reports suggest the 8.9 magnitude earthquake was not felt in the capital.

Mr Cameron said he was "hugely concerned" by news of the quake, telling Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono: "Our thoughts should be with those who are affected.


"Britain of course stands ready to help if help is required. We will stand with you and your government and your people at this time of worry."

Mr Yudhoyono moved to calm nerves, saying that there appeared to be no serious casualties and local residents had been taken to safety. He added that "as of this time there is no threat of tsunami" - despite an international warning being issued.

"The people of Aceh have been able to go to safe places," he said. "The situation is being managed well... We will take all necessary measures." He added: "The situation is under control so far. It is a very different situation from 2004 when Aceh was faced with a deadly tsunami."

[lydayaxobia493]

For u...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFaMemwP0HU&feature=player_detailpage

[SoftSword]

even there are some such videos posted in fb i guess...
i hav not seen this... but i believe it to be some guys posting some old video as new for making a sensation and getting shares/likes..

[Roshan]

Tsunami alert has been lifted in Sri Lanka and people are asked to get back to their homes. But advised not to go to the sea. Tsunami warning was specifically issued in Trinco, Jaffna and Colombo. Really overwhelmed with the way things were handled by necessary authorities (forces, tranportation departments, electricity board, health ministry) and media (Especially TV and Radio ). Health Ministry cancelled all holifsyd of healthe workers and requested to report to work immediately the moment tremor was felt. Also need to mention the great service rendered by Mobile networks with timely alerts and updates, from various authentic sources. Special mention - Dialog Networks. Great job guys !! Wish we had all this in December 2004 :(

Hope everything is fine in India and other Tsunami alert countries.

[lydayaxobia493]

http://img.dinamalar.com/data/uploads/WR_833529.jpeg

[Roshan]

Re: some of the cooked up news (though I know cooking up is their job) posted here looks like some people are eagerly awaiting these kind of disasters to happen in some countries. What a life :(

[lydayaxobia493]

http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/581868_353386848032005_231943803509644_853952_1082 629809_n.jpg

[VinodKumar's]

Shocked to see this as first news in the morning. Indonesia :( ... avanga evalo adiya thaan thaanuguvaanga.

[PARAMASHIVAN]

Tsunami alert lifted! Says BBC

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-17675399

[NOV]

BE PREPARED: BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER AN EARTHQUAKE

During an Earthquake

If you're indoors, stay there. Get under -- and hold onto --a desk or table, or stand against an interior wall. Stay clear of exterior walls, glass, heavy furniture, fireplaces and appliances. The kitchen is a particularly dangerous spot. If you’re in an office building, stay away from windows and outside walls and do not use the elevator.

If you're outside, get into the open. Stay clear of buildings, power lines or anything else that could fall on you.

If you're driving, move the car out of traffic and stop. Avoid parking under or on bridges or overpasses. Try to get clear of trees, light posts, signs and power lines. When you resume driving, watch out for road hazards.

If you're in a mountainous area, beware of the potential for landslides. Likewise, if you're near the ocean, be aware that tsunamis are associated with large earthquakes. Get to high ground.

If you’re in a crowded public place, avoid panicking and do not rush for the exit. Stay low and cover your head and neck with your hands and arms.

After an Earthquake

Check for fire or fire hazards. If you smell gas, shut off the main gas valve. If there's evidence of damage to electrical wiring, shut off the power at the control box.

If the phone is working, only use it in case of emergency. Likewise, avoid driving if possible to keep the streets clear for emergency vehicles.

Be aware that items may fall out of cupboards or closets when the door is opened, and also that chimneys can be weakened and fall with a touch. Check for cracks and damage to the roof and foundation of your home.

Listen to the radio for important information and instructions. Remember that aftershocks, sometimes large enough to cause damage in their own right, generally follow large quakes.

If you leave home, leave a message telling friends and family your location.