Powerful quakes off Indonesia create panic around Indian Ocean

By Alastair Jamieson and Ian Johnston, msnbc.com

Updated at 9:22 a.m. ET: A 8.6-magnitude earthquake and powerful aftershocks struck off Indonesia on Wednesday, sending people scurrying from shaking buildings in several countries and raising fears of a disastrous tsunami.

Tsunami alerts were issued across the entire Indian Ocean, although they were later lifted.

The U.S. Geological Survey said that the initial quake happened about 14 miles beneath the ocean floor and 270 miles from Banda Aceh, the provincial capital of Aceh, at 2:38 p.m. local time (4:38 a.m. ET).

Reuters reported that the tremors were felt in Thailand, Singapore and southern India.

The quake struck in a similar location to the 9.1-magnitude tremor on Dec. 26, 2004, that triggered a tsunami in the Indian Ocean, killing almost 230,000 people.

An 8.2-magnitude aftershock hit at 6:43 a.m. ET, the USGS said. Fresh tsunami alerts were issued as a result. Several