7.1 Earthquake Hit Near Indonesia

According to ABC News, The US Geological Survey says that there was a 7.1 earthquake in the Indian Ocean off Indonesia's Sumatra island. There is not a threat of a tsunami to Australia, according to the Australian Bureau of Meteorology. The earthquake hit at 4:02am and was centered in the Indian Ocean and was 30 kilometres deep, which is considered shallow. It took place 135 kilometres west of Bengkulu. There was tsunami warning earlier issued by the Indonesian meteorological agency, but it has since been lifted. The US Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre warned the Indonesian Government of a possible small tsunami, but didn't know if the earthquake had actually triggered one. Gerard Fryer a geophysicist said that if a tsunami were to occur it would only effect an area of 100 kilometres from the epicentre and would measure less than a metre.