Earthquake Measuring 7.3 Strikes Indonesia

The Indonesian Geological Agency reported that a "7.3 magnitude earthquake struck west of Sumatra Island today, Tuesday, prompting a tsunami warning that lasted nearly two hours." The warning was later lifted, after urging local authorities to quickly advise residents in the affected area to stay away from the beaches. The European Mediterranean Seismological Centre had previously estimated the earthquake's magnitude at 6.9. The earthquake occurred at a depth of 84 kilometers around 3 AM local time (2000 GMT). Data from the Geological Agency indicated several aftershocks, one of which registered a magnitude of five. The spokesperson for the Indonesian Disaster Mitigation Agency explained that "authorities are gathering data from the islands closest to the earthquake's epicenter off the west coast of Sumatra."