Second Quake Hits Indonesia

A second powerful earthquake in as many days jolted south-east Asia today, triggering a regional tsunami warning, damaging hundreds of houses and creating panic along Indonesia's west coast.

At least nine people have been killed and 49 hurt in the twin tremors that caused tall buildings to sway in at least three countries, and sent panicked residents fleeing by foot, motorcycle and lorry.

All the deaths and injuries occurred in Indonesia, which was hit hardest by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. There was no immediate information on casualties in other countries.

Today's quake, which measured 7.8 on the Richter scale, rattled the same area of Sumatra as yesterday, causing extensive damage. "At least five large buildings - including mosques, houses and a school - collapsed," said Surya Budhi, who was overseeing emergency response in Padang, the capital of West Sumatra.

Thousands of people piled into trucks or sought shelter on high ground.

Rafael Abreu, a geologist with the United States Geological Survey (USGS), said today's quake did not appear to be an aftershock of the one yesterday.

"It's fairly large itself," he said. "It seems to be a different earthquake."

Yesterday's 8.4-magnitude quake, was the biggest this year and prompted tsunami warnings for much of Asia and as far away as countries in Africa.

Indonesia issued a tsunami alert, lifted it and then reissued it when an aftershock hit.

Australia's Bureau of Meteorology warned that unusual waves could hit Christmas Island early today, but residents said there was no sign of a tsunami about an hour after the predicted time.

"The danger has passed," said Linda Cash, a manager at the Christmas Island visitors center, adding that police were telling people to stay away from beaches.

The USGS said the new quake, centered about 125 miles from the Sumatran city of Bengkulu, was six miles deep and struck at 6.49am (12.49am BST). Several strong aftershocks followed.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, in Hawaii, said today's quake had the potential to generate a destructive regional tsunami along coasts within 600 miles of the epicenter. It advised authorities to take immediate action to evacuate coastal areas.

After yesterday's quake, many people refused to return to their homes, fearing a repeat of the 2004 earthquake off Sumatra. It triggered a tsunami that spread around the Indian Ocean, killing an estimated 230,000 people in a dozen countries, more than 130,000 of them in Indonesia's Aceh province.

An Australian seismologist said today the region was lucky to have escaped another devastating tsunami.

"There was a tsunami created by the earthquake, it just travelled in a southwest direction away from land," Mike Turnbull at Central Queensland University told Reuters.