Quake had no link to Aussie scientist's warning

Manjula Fernando

COLOMBO: A senior geologist said Wednesday's earthquake could not be connected to the prediction of Australian Geo Scientist Phil Cummins whose recent study said of a major tsunami that could hit countries in the Bay of Bengal.

Prof. Kapila Dahanayake of the Peradeniya University's Geological Department said this was the third major earthquake recorded in the Sumatra region, after the December 2004 that generated the giant tsunami which killed over 230,000 people.

He said the frequency of high magnitude earthquakes have increased within the past two - three decades but unfortunately this could not give a clear indication of a future occurrence.

"It may get worse or die down gradually in the years to come," he said. Cummins in a report published last week in the science journal Nature said at least a million people in South Asia's Bay of Bengal could be swept to their deaths by a tsunami if a giant earthquake hits off the coast of Burma, adding however that he cannot say if this would happen any sooner or in another 100 years.

Asked if this major quake which recorded 8.4 points on the richter scale, off the western coast of Sumatra could be a preamble to the Australian expert's prediction, he responded that the chances were very remote. Wednesday's Indonesian quake which occurred around 4.40 pm Sri Lanka time, claimed 10 lives and injured over 100 in Sumatra.

Although the damage was far less than expected, it was strong enough to shake buildings in Thailand and Malaysia and set off tsunami alerts as far away as eastern Africa.

By early yesterday met officials recorded over 20 aftershocks including two major ones of 7.8 and 7.1 points in the Indonesian sea. "There can be aftershocks of lower magnitude than the first quake (on most occasions) for weeks or even months after a major earth quake," Prof. Dahanayake said.

He said an earthquake of a higher magnitude would not always create a tsunami, but an earth shake of over 6.5 points, below the sea is capable of generating a tsunami.

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To create a tsunami...

Earthquake should be over 6.5 points magnitude

Must be below the sea

Should occur less than 30 km from the earth's surface (sea bed)

Movements of the tectonic plates should be vertical

When a tsunami warning is issued, people in coastal areas should never try to escape in vehicles

Must climb on to a tall building or reach higher ground as soon as possible.

Major traffic congestions were reported in Colombo, Galle and Matara, along the coastal areas on Wednesday evening with people trying to flee in vehicles following the tsunami warning.