A massive magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck at 1:55 am off the Andaman Islands – north-west of Phuket. The quake has triggered a tsunami watch for Thailand, Myanmar, Bangladesh, India and Indonesia.
According to the US Geological Survey the quake was 20.6 miles deep and centered 260 km north of Port Blair in the Andaman Islands.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) says its likely the quake was an aftershock to the deadly 2004 quake that triggered a massive tsunami killing nearly 230,000 people.
The USGS said that the quake has the potential to generate destructive tsunamis in the region, though it cautions that it is not known if such a tsunami has occurred.
Japan quake
The quake came at the same time as a 6.6 magnitude earthquake struck central Japan early Tuesday morning – in the Pacific Ocean, just off the coast of Tokyo.
The agency issued a tsunami warning from the temblor early Tuesday, which centered off the Suruga Bay, southwest of Tokyo.
The quake rattled furniture and walls in Tokyo but there have been no immediate reports of damages or casualties.
The quake occurred at a depth of 12 miles (20 kilometers). Public broadcaster NHK said a small increase of waves of some 10 inches (30 centimeters) was observed along the coastline of Yaizu City.
As of 4 am this morning there have been no reports of injuries or damage with either quake. Spokesman for the USGS, Paul Caruso, says both quakes appear to be unrelated. It was the second earthquake in Japan in two days, following an earlier one that measured 6.9 near Tokyo.
