Reply #100: Quake Seen Likely Forcing Tsunami Waves to South (Mauritius)

[allemand]

Monday, March 28, 2005 1:55:22 PM ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A major earthquake off the coast of northern Sumatra on Monday is likely to have directed any tsunami waves toward the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius, a U.S. expert said.

Robert Cessaro of the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said the quake, which he put at magnitude 8.5, was likely to have produced a tsunami because of its size, but this was probably in the form of a "beam of energy" heading to the south, he told CNN.

He said the massive quake that struck the region on Dec. 26 was now known to have directed most of its energy toward the north and that had relieved the underground stresses in that direction.

The latest quake was believed to have sent its main energy in the opposite direction, toward the Indian Ocean islands of Mauritius and Rodrigues, he said.

More:
http://www.metronews.ca/reuters_international.asp?id=64150