
At 02:38:37 p.m. on April 11, the earthquake with a magnitude of 8.6 struck the coast of Sumatra, according to U.S. Geological Survey. The depth of the quake was 22.9 kilometers and it was classified as a shallow earthquake.
Neighboring countries like India, Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia also felt the quake. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued tsunami warnings to 29 countries in the region and estimated the waves at six meters high. In Thailand, the residents of four provinces along the coast were evacuated.
The epicenter of the earthquake was 434 kilometers southwest of Banda Aceh, the capital of Aceh province in northern Sumatra. It caused power shortages in Aceh and residents evacuated to higher ground after the tsunami warning was issued. Fortunately, the tsunami alert was lifted hours after the quake. For the people of Aceh province, it was a frightening experience; they remember the terrible earthquake of December 26, 2004, whose epicenter was between Sumatra and Simeulue island. Indonesia was the country worst affected, with 130,736 confirmed dead, 37,063 missing and 500,000 displaced. Tzu Chi was one of the first NGOs to arrive at the scene of the disaster, provided food and medical care and later built three Great Love villages for those who had lost their homes.
Newer news items:
- Volunteers Help Flood-hit Beijing Residents
- The City Council of Marikina Renaming a Street to Tzu Chi Street
- Lights Off For One Hour, Who Is Coming for Dinner?
- Opening of Jing-Si Books & Cafe-cum-Continuing Education Centre
Older news items:
- Tzu Chi's Aid for Hulu Langat Flood Victims
- Life Saving Supplies for Kidney Patients in Thailand in Flooding Crisis
- Nutritional Instant Rice Promoted at Food & Beverage Expo 2011
- Tzu Chi Melaka's 2011 Year-End Blessing Ceremony