Tsunami generated by Indonesian quake not major :U.S. agency

News at 7:10pm, April 11, 2012

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - A tsunami measuring 17 cm (6.7 inches) has been generated in the Indian Ocean and is headed for the Aceh province of Indonesia after a strong earthquake, a Pacific Tsunami Warning Center official said on Wednesday.

Earlier, an 8.7 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Indonesia, sending residents fleeing in fear.

Victor Sardina, a geophysicist on duty at the Hawaii-based center, said the total vertical measurement of the wave, according to monitoring gauges, was 35 cm (13.8 inches), making the height 17 cm (6.7 inches).

He did not provide a time estimate for landfall.

"It doesn't look like a major tsunami," Sardina said. "But we are still monitoring as tsunamis come in waves."

For the latest news on the earthquake and an Indian-Ocean wide tsunami warning, see
(Repeorting by Ed Lane; Editing by Kim Coghill)