Tsunami alert lifted
A tsunami alert issued for the Indian Ocean region following a massive earthquake that struck off the coast of Indonesia was lifted overnight.
The alert, issued yesterday morning, caused panic in some destinations in the region.
Phuket in Thailand closed its airport yesterday afternoon, disrupting flight operations.
People near the coast in six Thai provinces were ordered to higher ground and the Indian port in Chennai was closed as India issued a tsunami warning
The quake registered 8.7 and was followed by several aftershocks including one two hours later with a magnitude of 8.3.
Tremors were felt as far away as Singapore, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Bangladesh and India.
In Banda Aceh, where 170,000 people died in the 2004 tsunami, buildings shook and power poles swayed, forcing residents to evacuate their homes and seek higher ground.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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