Indonesia issues tsumani alert after 7.9 magnitude quake

Indonesia has issued a tsunami warning after a massive and shallow earthquake struck off the west coast of its island of Sumatra, a region devastated by the 2004 Indian Ocean quake and tsunami. The warning has been issued for West Sumatra, North Sumatra and Aceh after the 7.9 magnitude quake hit the region yesterday



evening. 

The epicentre of the quake was 808 kilometers southwest of Padang. It was 10 kilometers deep. Rescue efforts have been hampered by the darkness that falls early in the tropical archipelago. There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties, but the shallower a quake, the more likely it is to cause damage.