Tsunami watch issued for UAE

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre has said that Fujairah could feel the impact of an earthquake under the Indian Ocean.

A tsunami watch was issued today for countries across the Indian Ocean after the earthquake hit waters off Indonesia this morning.

The US Geological Survey said the 8.6-magnitude quake was centred 33km beneath the ocean floor about 434km from Aceh's provincial capital.

The tremor was felt in Singapore, Thailand, Bangladesh, Malaysia and India. The tsunami warning centre, which is based in Hawaii, said a tsunami watch was in effect for Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, Australia, Myanmar, Thailand, the Maldives and other Indian Ocean islands, Malaysia, Pakistan, Somalia, the UAE, Oman, Iran, Bangladesh, Kenya, South Africa and Singapore.

However, a tsunami watch means there is the potential for a tsunami, not that one is imminent.

If one does form, the centre said that it would hit Fujairah at 4.30pm, although it gave no details as to the severity.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has said the threat of a big tsunami has receded, although the warning remains in place.

"It doesn't look like a major tsunami. But we are still monitoring as tsunamis come in waves," said Victor Sardina, a geophysicist on duty at the institute.