Magnitude 8.7 - NORTHERN SUMATRA, INDONESIA

[Chair]

Magnitude 8.7 - NORTHERN SUMATRA, INDONESIA
2005 March 28 16:09:36 UTC

Preliminary Earthquake Report
U.S. Geological Survey, National Earthquake Information Center
World Data Center for Seismology, Denver

A great earthquake occurred at 16:09:36 (UTC) on Monday, March 28, 2005. The magnitude 8.7 event has been located in NORTHERN SUMATRA, INDONESIA. (This event has been reviewed by a seismologist.)  
 
   
Magnitude 8.7
Date-Time Monday, March 28, 2005 at 16:09:36 (UTC)
=Coordinated Universal Time

Monday, March 28, 2005 at 11:09:36 PM
= local time at epicenter

Location 2.076°N, 97.013°E
Depth 30 km (18.6 miles) set by location program

Region - NORTHERN SUMATRA, INDONESIA

Distances
205 km (125 miles) WNW of Sibolga, Sumatra, Indonesia
245 km (155 miles) SW of Medan, Sumatra, Indonesia
535 km (330 miles) WSW of KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia
1410 km (880 miles) NW of JAKARTA, Java, Indonesia
 
Location Uncertainty horizontal +/- 4.8 km (3.0 miles); depth fixed by location program

Parameters Nst=135, Nph=135, Dmin=537.4 km, Rmss=0.79 sec, Gp= 43°,
M-type=moment magnitude (Mw), Version=7  
Source USGS NEIC (WDCS-D)

[Chair Of the Council]

For info purposes only.
This incident occurs along the same tectonic plate [Australia / Sunda] as the Boxing Day Tsunami. 5 earth movements ranging from 5.2 up to 6.4 have been recorded as of the 30th.

Wednesday, March 30, 2005 at 16:19:41 (UTC) -

Coordinated Universal Time
Wednesday, March 30, 2005 at 11:19:41 PM local time at epicenter

 
Location
3.01N 95.37E
 
Depth
22.0 kilometers
 
Region
OFF W COAST OF NORTHERN SUMATRA  

Reference
275 km (170 miles) S of Banda Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia
370 km (230 miles) W of Medan, Sumatra, Indonesia
1620 km (1000 miles) NW of JAKARTA, Java, Indonesia
3420 km (2130 miles) SE of NEW DELHI, Delhi, India
 
Location Quality  Error estimate: horizontal +/- 6.2 km; depth fixed by location program  
Location Quality Parameters
Nst=126, Nph=126, Dmin=637.8 km, Rmss=0.86 sec, Erho=6.2 km, Erzz=0 km, Gp=24.4 degrees

[Stewart Jones]

Just saw a report on BBC1 showing locals trying to break through concrete with lump hammers and hacksaws. Anybody know why the British Government are not sending any teams over there with the expertise and equipment that can help?

[Stewart Jones]

In answer to my own question, see the DFID website for sitrep:-

http://www.dfid.gov.uk/pubs/files/SitRep1-indonesia-earthquake.pdf

[Stewart Jones]

U.K. Search and Rescue Teams stood down

Latest sitrep from DFID

http://www.dfid.gov.uk/pubs/files/SITREP-30MAR05.pdf