5.4 magnitude earthquake strikes Andaman and Nicobar, no Tsunami alert sounded

By NewsGram Staff Writer

A medium intensity earthquake, measuring 5.4 on the richter scale has struck the Andaman islands.

As per reports from the Indian Meteorological Department(IMD), the tremors were felt at around 2:28 PM. However, no Tsunami warning has been issued and no casualties have been reported till now.

The quake comes in the backdrop of the massive 7.9 magnitude earthquake that jolted Nepal on Saturday, killing more than 6200 people. The landlocked nation still has not fully recovered from the calamity.

Back in 2004, a monster earthquake had struck the Indian Ocean, unleashing giant tsunami waves of more than 30 metres, which claimed more than 230,000 lives, mostly in the island nation of Indonesia.

Close to 3500 people had died and 4000 people were displaced in the Andaman and Nicobar islands during the 2004 tsunami.

A similar tsunami warning had been sounded in 2012, when people in the Andaman and Nicobar islands were evacuated to higher ground. The warning was later cancelled.

The ecologically fragile chain of islands, is known for its diverse forests, majestic coral reefs and splendid beaches.