Tokyo/Jakarta - Geologists reported another major earthquake early Thursday on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, and the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) issued a tsunami warning for surrounding coasts of the Indian Ocean. The quake was estimated by JMA at magnitude 7.8 on the Richter scale struck at 2349 GMT Wednesday in southern Sumatra, where quakes earlier Wednesday at magnitudes 8.2 and 6.6 set of tsunamic fears.
"There is a possibility of a destructive regional tsunami in the Indian Ocean," the JMA statement said.
The agency estimated the tsunami threat within 60 minutes to the Indian Ocean coasts of Indonesia's Sumatra and Java and off-shore Australian islands.
Risks within of dangerous waves within one to three hours were possible at India's Andaman and Nicobar islands, Sri Lanka and the southern coasts of Indonesia's Lesser Sunda Islands and the Malacca coast of Sumatra.
