Thailand issues tsunami alert
2005-07-24 19:09
Bangkok - Thai authorities late on Sunday issued a tsunami warning for the southwest coast - including Phuket island - after a major earthquake in India's Nicobar Islands.
"There is a possibility of a tsunami and if it happens it will affect Phuket, Phang Nga, Krabi, Ranong, Satun and Trang provinces," the national disaster warning centre's director Plodprasop Surasawadi said in an emergency broadcast.
"We have asked authorities to issue the warning to people to prepare for evacuation and preparation to follow the emergency plan we have put in place."
The US Geological Survey (USGS) said in a bulletin the "major" earthquake measured 7.0 on the Richter scale and struck India's remote Nicobar Islands at about 15:42 GMT on Sunday.
Thai emergency broadcasts cited seismologists as saying the quake measured 7.3 and occurred about 660km west of Phuket, Thailand's main beach tourist destination which was hit by last year's tsunami disaster.
The December 26 waves killed about 5 400 people in Thailand, almost half of them foreign holidaymakers, and caused massive damage.
More than 2 800 others are still listed as missing.
The quake and tsunami claimed at least 178 953 lives in 11 countries and left at least 49 616 missing, with most presumed dead.