Massive earthquake hits Indonesia today, tsunami alert sounded in Indian Ocean

An earthquake measuring 8.7 on Richter scale hit Indonesia's Aceh province. Indonesia issues tsunami warning as powerful quake hits off west coast. The mild tremors were also felt in Indian cities of Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore and several other cities on the eastern coast.

The epicentre of the quake was located 33 km below the earth surface, about 495 km from Indonesia's Banda Aceh and 962 km from Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur.

According to reports, India too has issued Tsunami warnings for Nicobar islands and east India following the earthquake. Six national disaster teams have been rushed from Arakulum to Chennai. Besides Navy and coast guard have also been kept on high alert in Chennai, Vizag, Kochi and Port Blair. National Disaster Management Authority has, however, ruled out tsunami threat in India.

BBC has quoted Pacific Tsunami Warning Center as saying that waves from the possible tsunami could reach Banda Aceh at 09:30 GMT.

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

The tsunami centre's warning 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".

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre issued the tsunami watch for 28 countries, including Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, Australia, Myanmar, Thailand, Maldives, Britain, Malaysia, Mauritius, Syechelles, Pakistan, Somalia, Oman, Madagascar, Iran, UAE, Yemen, Bangladsh, Tanzania, Mozambique, Kenya, South Africa and Singapore.

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The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre issued the tsunami watch for 28 countries, including Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, Australia, Myanmar, Thailand, Maldives, Britain, Malaysia, Mauritius, Syechelles, Pakistan, Somalia, Oman, Madagascar, Iran, UAE, Yemen, Bangladsh, Tanzania, Mozambique, Kenya, South Africa and Singapore.