www.independent.co.uk...
A powerful earthquake off western Indonesia triggered a small tsunami that killed one man, damaged more than 150 homes and sent thousands of people fleeing to high ground.
The 7.7 magnitude earthquake hit late yesterday and caused a a 10-foot (three-metre) wave.
It was caused by the same fault, running the length of the west coast of Sumatra island, behind the 9.1-magnitude quake that triggered a massive tsunami in 2004, killing 230,000 people in a dozen countries.
Ade Edward, a disaster management agency official, said tremor was centred just 13 miles (20 kilometres) beneath the ocean floor and triggered a small tsunami that hit the island of Pagai.
He said a farmer was killed and some 2,000 people were seeking shelter today in emergency camps.
Crews from several ships are still unaccounted for in the Indian Ocean, he said.
The Mentawai islands, a popular surfing spot 175 miles (280 kilometres) from the coast, are sparsely populated and reports of casualties and damage have only just started arriving.
edit on 26-10-2010 by tarifa37 because: (no reason given)
