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The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has announced that an earthquake with a magnitude 8.5 has occurred in northern Sumatra and has the potential to generate a “widely destructive tsunami in the ocean or seas near the earthquake.”
The National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) advises immediate action including evacuation of the coasts within 1,000 kilometers of the epicenter and close monitoring to determine the need for evacuation further away.
NOAA says authorities can assume the danger of a tsunami has passed if no tsunami waves are observed in the region near the epicenter within three hours of the earthquake, though other experts suggest waiting longer before evacuees return home.
MSNBC reports that Thai officials were among the first to issue a tsunami warning for the Andaman Sea, an area that saw widespread devastation from a tsunami on Dec. 26, 2004, caused by a 9.0 earthquake in the region.
The destruction and death toll caused by December's tsunami was largely due to the lack of advanced warning of the tsunami's arrival. As such, many countries are taking swift action to protect their citizens. Fox News is reporting that the President of Sri Lanka has issued a national warning of an impending national disaster, requiring anyone on coastal areas to move to higher ground. Tsunami warnings have been issued in Thailand, Japan and Sri Lanka
So far, no reports of injury or damage have been received. Modnay’s quake epicenter was located 18.6 miles underground, just off the northern Sumatra coast and between two smaller islands. It occurred around 11 p.m. local time. The Dec. 26 earthquake was also off the coast of Sumatra and just north of this morning’s quake.
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In response to the devastation caused by the Dec. 26 quake, the generosity of the green industry was made widely apparent. Millions of dollars worth of monetary donations, equipment, pesticides and other supplies have been donated by companies throughout the industry. GIE Media, parent company of Lawn & Landcape magazine, also instituted an extensive Tsunami Relief Plan in January, which supports the victims of the tragedy through specific relief organization advertising, financial assistance and ongoing editorial coverage urging readers to continue to lend support.
Visit tsunami.gie.net for frequent updates regarding tsunami relief donations made throughout the green, recycling and pest control industries. Also, find contact information for dozens of relief organizations, as well as a message board to share how your company has contributed to tsunami relief.