After Indonesia's 8.6 Quake, an 8.2 Aftershock

Eerie echoes of quake that sparked 2004 Aceh tsunami horror
By Mary Papenfuss,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 11, 2012 4:20 AM CDT
Updated Apr 11, 2012 7:48 AM CDT
8.9 Indonesia Quake Triggers Tsunami Alert
An Acehnese family prays on the mass grave of 2004 tsunami victims in Aceh Besar, Aceh province.   (AP Photo/Heri Juanda)

Indonesia has responded to a powerful 8.6-magnitude earthquake that struck beneath the ocean floor off the westernmost province of Aceh by issuing a tsunami warning for the entire Indian Ocean. And while it ultimately spawned a wave just 30 inches high that caused no serious damage, there's no rest yet for the earthquake-weary country. A hefty 8.2-magnitude aftershock hit about two hours later, reports the AP. That shaker was centered some 380 miles from the provincial capital of Banda Aceh, about 100 miles further than the first.

A 9.1-magnitude earthquake in 2004 triggered a massive tsunami in the Indian Ocean that killed 230,000 people, most of them in Aceh. People on Twitter said tremors this time were felt in Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, and India. High-rise buildings on Malaysia’s west coast shook for at least a minute, and in Indonesia, residents quickly clogged the streets with traffic as they fled to higher ground in cars and on the backs of motorcycles. Damage, thus far, appears to be minimal. (More earthquake stories.)

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