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Earthquake in chennai : An undersea earthquake measuring 6.7 on the Richter scale struck off India's Andaman islands in the Indian Ocean on Friday.
the US Geological Survey said, causing people to flee their homes. Officials and witnesses said the quake triggered panic and fears of a repeat of the devastating 2004 tsunami that ravaged the island chain. Residents ran out of their homes as the powerful jolt rattled buildings, already weakened by a series of earthquakes that have hit the Andamans since the tsunami. The epicentre of the quake was 115 kilometres (70 miles) southwest from capital Port Blair, the USGS said. The Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, however, said that "a destructive widespread tsunami threat does not exist based on historical earthquake and tsunami data." "We have not issued any tsunami alert although it occurred at a depth of around 35 kilometres (21.7 miles) in the Andaman Sea," a spokesman from the local Disaster Management Cell told AFP. The archipelago's civilian administrator Chhering Targay said there were no immediate reports of damage. "Till now we have not received any report of any damage or any casualty," he said. The Indian navy ordered its ships not to approach Andaman shores until an all-clear was sounded by the local military command. The Andaman and Nicobar chain of 536 islands, 58 of them inhabited, was badly hit by the 2004 tsunami, with hundreds dead and more than 3,000 still officially listed as missing. PTI Adds: Chennai: An earthquake measuring 6.7 on the Richter scale shook the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and parts of Chennai today triggering panic among residents. With its epicentre near Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the quake occurring at around 1700 hrs lasted a few seconds and rocked several parts of Chennai including the busy T Nagar, Nugambakkam and Koyambedu areas, Met office sources and the police told PTI. Employees working in a multi-storeyed building in Venkatnarayana Road in T Nagar rushed out of office as they experienced the tremor, police said. However, there is no immediate report about any loss of life or property due to the quake.
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we (India, chennai) needs some sort of quick public announcement system. The police with loudspeaker cars can use the facility to warn people.
The public (India) need to keep their utmost valuable (such as passport etc) with change of clothes, bit of non perishable food items, medicines, little drinking water, etc readily packed for any emergency exit.
lets hope for the best and be prepared for the worst.