A second major earthquake has struck the Papua region of Indonesia, just under three hours after a similar event.
Sunday 4th January 2009
A magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck the north-western Irian Jaya region of Indonesia at 11:34 this morning, New Zealand time.
The on-shore quake was located near the coast, 95 km west-north-west of Manokwari, Papua, Indonesia (220 km east of Sorong) at a depth of 45 km. The epicentre is very close to a magnitude 7.6 quake which struck less than three hours earlier at 8:44 this morning.
The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a bulletin at 11:51 NZDT, advising that a destructive local tsunami was possible. It estimated that a wave of 3 metres might be expected at Warsa, Irian Jaya at 11:40 a.m. New Zealand time.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre issued a bulletin for the Pacific area at 11:48 a.m. advising that no destructive widespread tsunami threat exists based on historial data.
[Compiled from data supplied by the U.S. Geological Survey and its contributing agencies, the U.S. National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration’s Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre, and Japan Meteorological Agency.]