Alert remains but no more flooding expected |28 December 2004

No major tidal waves similar to the ones that affected Mahe, Praslin and La Digue on Sunday December 26 were expected, however.

An advisory from the National Disaster Committee that Nation received Monday evening said the warning would remain in place following two aftershocks Monday in the Northern Sumatra region, where the tsunamis that have reportedly killed 24,000 people across Southeast Asia first originated.

The two aftershocks occurred at 1.39 p.m. local time, the strongest of which measured 6.3 on the Richter Scale. The earthquake that caused Sunday’s tsunamis in Asia registered an 8.9.

The committee said that the aftershocks may not lead to more coastal flooding, but that the sea level was expected to vary from 8 p.m. onwards.

The advisory told people to remain calm and to tune into radio and television for further information. Officials asked for the public to report any flooding – but not changes in sea levels – by telephone at 384070 or 384071.