7.1 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Acheh

Ahmad Fuad Yahya JAKARTA, Jan 11 (Bernama) -- An earthquake of 7.1 magnitude shook Aceh early Wednesday morning but no reports on damaged property or fatalities in the incident were received. The Indonesian Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysical Agency (BMKG) recorded the earthquake's epicenter at 419km south-west of Meulaboh, with a depth of 10km, which occurred at 1.36am followed by several aftershocks. According to local media reports, the quake was also felt by residents in Banda Aceh and its surrounding areas, while those in the coastal areas felt strong winds and left their homes for safer areas. In Banda Aceh town, residents gathered at the Pantai Pirak Bridge and Simpang Surabaya Bridge to monitor the waters of Kureng Aceh River for signs of a tsunami. However, the situation calmed down after authorities retracted a tsunami warning shortly after it was issued following the earthquake. Meanwhile, Malaysian Education Attaché Ludinata Misnun in a statement Wednesday informed that Malaysian students in Banda Aceh are safe. He said the National Malaysian Student Association in Indonesia (PKPMI) Aceh Branch had contacted all students and directed them to take shelter on higher ground, but they returned home after the tsunami warning was withdrawn. He added that students in Medan are also safe, a majority of whom did not even realise the earthquake as the tremors were weak. --BERNAMA