A tsunami warning has been issued

A USGS spokeswoman said the quake struck 125 miles west northwest off Sibolga, Sumatra or 880 miles northwest of the Indonesian capital of Jakarta, close to where a 9.0 quake triggered a devastating tsunami in Asia in December 2004.

"Certainly evacuations should be occuring. I hope they are," spokesman Don Blakeman said, saying of the earthquake that "it could also cause some local tsunami activity."

Blakeman added that "even if we do see tsunami activity it won't be as widespread" as December's quake.

MSNBC reports that "No reports of injury or damage had been received from the region" so far.

---

The quake lasted for about two minutes - far longer than most of the daily aftershocks that have rocked Aceh since Dec. 26.

"People are still traumatized, still scared, they are running for higher ground," said Feri, a 24-year-old recovery volunteer who goes by one name.

"It was felt in most of the cities in Sumatra," said Budi Waluyo, an agency official. Indonesia's state news agency, Antara, said there were no immediate reports of damage.

The quake was felt as far away as Malaysia, about 300 miles from the epicenter, sending panicked residents fleeing their apartments and hotels in Kuala Lumpur and Penang after authorities activated fire alarms.

...

The quake occurred at 11:09 p.m. local time (11:09 a.m. EST) at a depth of 18.6 miles, and was centered 125 west-northwest of Sibolga, Sumatra, and 150 miles southwest of Medan, Sumatra, the USGS said.

Japan's Meteorological Agency said the quake registered 8.5.

---

And now India is denying that there have been tsunami warnings issued.

---

2 PM EST Update:

• Indian news source New Kerala reports that the Indian coastal state of Tamil Nadu has ordered the evacuation of people living within 500 metres of the coastline.

• A US expert notes the quake "is likely to have directed any tsunami waves toward the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius, a U.S. expert said." This is to the south of the epicenter, whereas the Dec. 26 quake directed much of it's energy north.

----
Update 2:26 EST

A massive earthquake killed dozens of people and destroyed hundreds of homes in the main town on Indonesia's Nias island Monday evening, a local government official told Metro TV. "I can guarantee that dozens have died," Agus Mendrofa, the deputy mayor of Gunungsitoli town, said.

The quake has been "upgraded" to an 8.7.

New reports coming in say close to 300 have been confirmed dead.

Toll expected to reach 2,000.

"It is predicted - and it's still a rough estimate - that the number the victim of dead may be between 1,000 and 2,000, Vice President Jusuf Kalla told the el-Shinta radio station. He said the estimate was based on an assessment of damage to buildings, not bodies counted.

Jeff Jarvis has more links