A tsunami watch put in place for the Indian Ocean region after an earthquake off the Indonesian island of Sumatra has now been lifted.
According to reports, an initial earthquake measuring 8.6 magnitude struck off the province of Aceh, and was followed later by another significant quake.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre (PTWC) issued an Indian Ocean-wide warning and advised people to move away from coastal areas, but has now cancelled its tsunami watch.The epicentre of the quake was reported to be close to that of the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami, which measured 9.1 and wreaked havoc across the Indian Ocean.
UK tour operators mobilised emergency procedures, with Kuoni and Premier Holidays both confirming they were in close contact with ground agents to ensure all customers in the region were aware and could be moved if required.
The latest bulletin from the PTWC said a “significant” tsunami had been created, but the threat had since receded for most areas.
It confirmed it would not issue any further updates unless further information became available.