7.5 Magnitude Earthquake Rocks Indonesia; Tsunami Alerts Issued

Justin Cote

• February 11 2009
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While a tsunami alert has been issued by the Indonesian government, it appears that a repeat of the deadly earthquake-generated tsunami of 2004 thankfully won’t occur due to where the quake occurred.

As reported on www.msnbc.msn.com

JAKARTA, Indonesia - Indonesia issued a tsunami warning after an earthquake struck southeast of Melonguane in North Sulawesi.

The U.S. Geographical Survey said the 7.5 magnitude quake had struck in the Talaud Islands of Indonesia, 201 miles south-southeast of General Santos, on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines.

The U.S. Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said no destructive widespread tsunami threat existed. But the agency added that earthquakes of this size sometimes generate local tsunamis that could be destructive along coasts located within 60 miles of the quake epicenter.

A 9.1 magnitude quake caused the 2004 tsunami that killed more than 232,000 people in Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, India and other countries across the Indian Ocean.