8.6 Banda Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia Earthquake. Image and Data Credit USGS.

The USGS has reported a 8.6 magnitude earthquake has struck Banda Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia on Wednesday, April 11, 2012 at 02:38:37 PM . The epicenter was located approximately:

434 km (269 miles) SW of Banda Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia
550 km (341 miles) SW of Lhokseumawe, Sumatra, Indonesia
963 km (598 miles) W of KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia
1797 km (1116 miles) WNW of JAKARTA, Java, Indonesia

...at a depth of 22.9 km (14.2 miles). There were no significant injuries or damage reported at this point, Friendly Forecast will update this report as events unfold. You can read the full Banda Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia earthquake details here.

UPDATE:April 11, 2012

A tsunami warning had been issued for the region but later retracted. A 3 foot high wave was generated but was too small to cause any damage. here is a statement from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center:

"A SIGNIFICANT TSUNAMI WAS GENERATED BY THIS EARTHQUAKE. HOWEVER...SEA LEVEL READINGS NOW INDICATE THAT THE THREAT HAS DIMINISHED OR IS OVER FOR MOST AREAS. THEREFORE THE TSUNAMI WATCH ISSUED BY THIS CENTER IS NOW CANCELLED. FOR ANY AFFECTED AREAS - WHEN NO MAJOR WAVES HAVE OCCURRED FOR AT LEAST TWO HOURS AFTER THE ESTIMATED ARRIVAL TIME OR DAMAGING WAVES HAVE NOT OCCURRED FOR AT LEAST TWO HOURS THEN LOCAL AUTHORITIES CAN ASSUME THE THREAT IS PASSED. DANGER TO BOATS AND COASTAL STRUCTURES CAN CONTINUE FOR SEVERAL HOURS DUE TO RAPID CURRENTS. AS LOCAL CONDITIONS CAN CAUSE A WIDE VARIATION IN TSUNAMI WAVE ACTION THE ALL CLEAR DETERMINATION MUST BE MADE BY LOCAL AUTHORITIES."

The region has been rocked by aftershocks including another large 8.2 that was felt as far as India, Vietnam and Thailand. Here is a list of some of the aftershocks:

6.0 April 11, 2012 at 03:27:56 PM
5.3 April 11, 2012 at 03:51:41 PM
8.2 April 11, 2012 at 04:43:09 PM
5.2 April 11, 2012 at 05:34:02 PM
You can see more aftershocks as they occur near the bottom of our main Friendly Forecast Earthquake Watch.

Here is a news report that was broadcast just after the news of the 8.6 Indonesia earthquake struck.

Banda Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia Earthquake Shake Map. The shake map image provides a metric of the percieved level of shaking in and around the area of the earthquake.

Did you feel it?

Communities around Banda Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia reported strong shaking. Places that felt the quake are:
City: Pantai Remis Intensity: IV Responses: 1
City: Bedong Intensity: III Responses: 1
City: Bandar Maharani Intensity: II Responses: 1
City: Gelugor Intensity: IV Responses: 48
City: Alor Setar Intensity: IV Responses: 18
City: Johor Bahru Intensity: II Responses: 2
City: Tanjong Tokong Intensity: III Responses: 4
City: Perai Intensity: IV Responses: 15
City: Teluk Intan Intensity: III Responses: 8
City: Phuket Intensity: III Responses: 35
City: Padang Intensity: V Responses: 3
City: Ipoh Intensity: III Responses: 17
City: Tanjung Balai Intensity: III Responses: 1
City: Sadao Intensity: IV Responses: 1
City: Banting Intensity: III Responses: 4
City: Bandar Penggaram Intensity: III Responses: 1
City: Jitra Intensity: V Responses: 2
City: Seremban Intensity: III Responses: 1
City: Bukit Mertajam Intensity: III Responses: 23
City: Port Blair Intensity: IV Responses: 1
City: Kuala Kubu Baru Intensity: IV Responses: 1
City: Sabak Intensity: III Responses: 1
City: Kajang-Sungai Chua Intensity: III Responses: 9
City: Val dʿOr Intensity: IV Responses: 1
City: Butterworth Intensity: IV Responses: 33
City: Songkhla Intensity: III Responses: 2
City: Parit Buntar Intensity: IV Responses: 5
City: Ayer Tawar Intensity: IV Responses: 1
City: Selayang Baru Intensity: II Responses: 1
City: Lumut Intensity: III Responses: 19
City: Sungai Besar Intensity: III Responses: 1
City: Yala Intensity: V Responses: 2
City: Bukit Tinggi Intensity: II Responses: 1
City: Serendah Intensity: II Responses: 1
City: Medan Intensity: IV Responses: 9
City: Balakong Intensity: II Responses: 3
City: Gurun Intensity: V Responses: 2
City: Lhokseumawe Intensity: IV Responses: 1
City: Duri Intensity: III Responses: 2
City: Ko Samui Intensity: II Responses: 1
City: Kampar Intensity: II Responses: 1
City: Kathu Intensity: III Responses: 17
City: Kangar Intensity: III Responses: 5
City: Kuala Selangor Intensity: III Responses: 4
City: Hat Yai Intensity: IV Responses: 6
City: Sungai Ara Intensity: III Responses: 38
City: Kuah Intensity: II Responses: 8
City: Pagar Alam Intensity: III Responses: 1
City: Krabi Intensity: III Responses: 1
City: Nibong Tebal Intensity: III Responses: 17
City: Georgetown Intensity: IV Responses: 71
City: Rawang Intensity: IV Responses: 3
City: Batu Gajah Intensity: III Responses: 6
City: Pekan Intensity: II Responses: 1
City: Klang Intensity: III Responses: 6
City: Ayer Itam Intensity: III Responses: 26
City: Kuala Lumpur Intensity: III Responses: 134
City: Bandar Baru Salak Tinggi Intensity: II Responses: 2
City: Pematang Siantar Intensity: III Responses: 1
City: Taiping Intensity: IV Responses: 13
City: Kulai Intensity: III Responses: 1
City: Kuala Perlis Intensity: II Responses: 3
City: Tapah Intensity: II Responses: 1
City: Tanjong Malim Intensity: III Responses: 4
City: Bukit Baru Intensity: III Responses: 1
City: Kabanjahe Intensity: V Responses: 1
City: Surat Thani Intensity: II Responses: 2
City: Kuala Kedah Intensity: V Responses: 5
City: Kepala Batas Intensity: IV Responses: 5
City: Petaling Jaya Intensity: III Responses: 54
City: Ampang Jaya Intensity: V Responses: 2
City: Sungai Petani Intensity: III Responses: 23
City: Singapore Intensity: II Responses: 72
City: Kuang Intensity: III Responses: 1
City: Subang Jaya Intensity: III Responses: 20
City: Nakhon Si Thammarat Intensity: III Responses: 1
City: Langsa Intensity: V Responses: 1
City: Shah Alam Intensity: III Responses: 13
City: Gombak Setia Intensity: IV Responses: 3
City: Tanah Merah Intensity: IV Responses: 1
City: Kota Bahru Intensity: IV Responses: 2
City: Wakaf Baru Intensity: II Responses: 1
City: Melaka Intensity: III Responses: 2
City: Banda Aceh Intensity: VI Responses: 3
City: Kulim Intensity: IV Responses: 22
City: Bombūflat Intensity: III Responses: 1
City: Padang Panjang Intensity: V Responses: 1
City: Tanjong Bunga Intensity: III Responses: 29
City: Juru Intensity: III Responses: 5
City: Bagan Serai Intensity: IV Responses: 2
City: Padang Sidempuan Intensity: IV Responses: 1
If you felt the quake you can report the quake here to the USGS.

What is a 8.6 magnitude earthquake?

8.0 or Greater. Only the sturdiest of buildings remain standing, noticeable wave ripples passing through the ground, fissuress opening up, tsunamis can be triggered in nearby bodies of water and even the landscape can be altered. Learn more about earthquakes...

Earthquake Population Exposure

The above image shows the effect of the earthquake in respect the areas where the shaking of the quake was felt in the Banda Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia region. The colored lines outline the areas that were effected by different levels of shaking, the darker the line the more the shaking had effect on the population.

Banda Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia Historical Earthquake Information

The above metric shows historical earthquake activity for the Banda Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia region from 1990 to present.

The image above shows historical earthquake activity for the Banda Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia region for the past year.

The preceeding image indacates 7.0 or larger earthquakes that have struck Banda Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia region since 1990.

Seismic Hazard

The Seismic Hazard Map above shows the likelihood of an earthquake to move the ground and effect buildings. The higher the hazard the greater the risk.

We would like to hear from you

If you have felt the Banda Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia earthquake, observed any damage or have any information pertaining to the earthquake we would like to hear about it. Please feel free to leave a comment below and share your experiences with us and others. All comments are moderated.

Reported by D. Montgomery and Friendly Forecast bringing you a great weather forecast for Los Angeles CA. Also note, All our weather forecasts contain watches and warnings for various adverse environmental conditions like thunder storms, tornadoes, blizzards, wind, hurricanes and earthquakes. All this is in addition to our great virtual real time current conditions, short term and long range weather forecasts. Friendly Forecast, more than just an average weather forecast.