Tsunami warning declared in Andaman

Port Blair, Jul 17: A tsunami warning has been issued for Nicobar group of Islands after an undersea earthquake with a magnitude of 7.2 in Richter scale struck off the Indonesian island of Java today.

"We have alerted all the ports and asked people to stay away from coastal areas," said Deputy Commissioner of Car Nicobar group of island Ms Ankita Misra.

She said all the defense establishments have been alerted.

Deputy Commissioner of Andaman Bikash Anand said though a local warning was sounded, there was no evacuation yet.

This local warning was sounded after the earthquake rocked Indonesia in which five people were killed.

"We are taking no chances," said Mr Anand.

Over 3800 people in this remote archipelago were killed and thousands rendered homeless in the December 26, 2004 tsunami.

UNI

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