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Strong Earthquake – Sumatra, Simeulue

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Very strong earthquake causes 1 death in Indonesia (Sumatra, Simeulue island)

Last update: July 25, 2012 at 9:55 am by By

Most important Earthquake Data:
Magnitude : M6.4 (BMKG), M6.4 (USGS)
UTC Time :   00:27:45 UTC, 25th July 2012.
Local time at epicenter : 7:27:45am WIB, 25th July 2012.
Depth (Hypocenter) : 10km (BMKG), 22km (USGS)

Geo-location(s) :
28km (17mi) NW of Sinabang, Indonesia
64km (101mi) S of Meulaboh, Indonesia
260km (161mi) W of Kabanjahe, Indonesia
275km (170mi) WSW of Binjai, Indonesia
620km (385mi) W of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Update 09:40 UTC : – Local sources are reporting cracked walls and loosened ceilings in many buildings like mosques, cultural centers etc.
– Electrical current is still down in the central part of the island (8 hours after the earthquake). Power company personnel is working hard to repair the damage.

Important update : Mr. Puyong was unfortunately killed (district of Teupah Barat) when he fell running out of his house. The death cause was probably due to high blood pressure because of an illness.

Landscape at the western part of Simeulue island, Aceh province, Indonesia image courtesy Haris Aceh

This is named as an indirect death, and mean that this earthquake will be labeled CATDAT Orange.

The earthquake was felt strongly in the Simeulue district with many people running out of their houses in fear.

The shaking was felt as about a intensity V.

Update : 190000 people are living within a radius of 100km of the epicenter.

Update : 5000 people will have experienced a MMI VI (strong shaking) (parameters based upon theoretical calculations). 89000 people felt a moderate MMI V shaking and 415000 people a light shaking.

Update : Seismological agencies do not seem to agree on the epicenter location. USGS locates the epicenter in a bay to the east of the island. Local BMKG, west of the island. BMKG reports a depth of 10 km. An epicenter location in the Ocean has a  weakening effect on potential damage.

Update : BMKG, the Indonesian seismological agency did report that there was no risk for a tsunami. In general earthquakes below M7 do normally not generate tsunamis

The epicenter of the earthquake was in a bay at the eastern part of the island of Simeulue, an island district of Sumatra. Simeulue is the closest island to the mega subduction fault line who was responsible for a number of cruel earthquakes and tsunamis the last 15 years. A lot of people lost their lives. In other words earthquakes are common at Simeulue but most of the time the origin is in the Ocean. Today’s earthquake was the first powerful one since many months.

from:    http://earthquake-report.com/2012/07/25/strong-earthquake-causes-1-death-in-indonesia/