Death Toll Passes 300 in Indonesian Earthquake

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA: More than 300 people are believed to have died when a strong earthquake struck Sumatra late Monday night.

The 8.7 magnitude quake struck northern Sumarta at 23:09pm local time (11:09am Monday Eastern Standard) 205 km (125 miles) west of Sibolga, Sumatra, Indonesia, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Hardest hit by the quake was the Indonesian island of Nias where all the casualties have been reported. Tremors were felt as far as the Malaysian Peninsula and some apartment buildings in Kuala Lumpur were evacuated fearing strong aftershocks.

A tsunami warning was issued a short time after the quake, with a 20cm tsunami reported at the Cocoas Islands. Late Tuesday unconfirmed reports from the Indonesian military indicated a three meter (nine foot) wave had caused some damage near Bandar Aceh.

Scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey believe this earthquake was an aftershock from the 9.0 magnitude one that occurred near Bandar Aceh on Boxing Day last year and caused tsunamis that killed more than 300,000 people in the Indian Ocean region.