Aftershocks felt in many cities in the south and east of the country 

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI/HYDERABAD: An earthquake of 7.8 magnitude was recorded in the region of Andaman islands with the epicentre 260 km north of Port Blair at about 1.25 a.m. on Tuesday, causing aftershocks in many cities in the southern and eastern parts of the country.

The Hyderabad-based National Tsunami Warning Centre issued the first bulletin within six minutes of the earthquake stating that it was evaluating its tsunamigenic potential.

Its next bulletin came at 2.45 a.m., pointing out that there were no significant water level changes in the Bottom Pressure Recorders and tide gauges in the Andamans, after receiving real time data from them.

Satish Shenoy, Director of the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) — which houses the Tsunami Warning Centre — said no tsunami alert was issued. He said a tsunami watch, issued by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre, was withdrawn later. The information was shared with other countries along the Indian Ocean rim and also with regional tsunami warning centres in Australia, Indonesia, Thailand, the Maldives and Sri Lanka.

In Chennai, S. Rasappan, a resident of Srinivasapuram, Foreshore Estate [where about 750 families of fishermen live] said: “I felt the aftershock. Several of my neighbours also stayed awake till early morning. But, the sea remained calm last [Monday] night.”