Kwisithuba nje seeyure ezingama-24 emva kwenyikima enomlinganiselo osisi-8.3, eye yasuba ubomi babantu abali-119 eSamoa naseAmerican Samoa, kuye kwabakho enye inyikima enamandla. Ngeli xesha kubhaliswa i-7.6-magnitude kwisikali se-Richter, inyikima enamandla yahlasela unxweme lwaseSumatra kwaye ngoku sele ibulele abantu abangama-75 kwaye ivale amawaka phantsi kwenkunkuma kunye ne-rubble, ngokutsho kwamagosa ase-Indonesia.
Inyikima yaseSumatra kuxelwe ukuba ithumele amaza othusayo kumazwe angabamelwane iSingapore kunye neMalaysia kwaye ngokufutshane yabangela uloyiko lwenye itsunami kumazwe ajikeleze uLwandlekazi lwaseIndiya. Kwaqala kwakhutshwa isilumkiso ngetsunami kulo mmandla, kodwa sayekwa emva kweeyure ezimbalwa.
I-US Geological Survey ye-National Earthquake Centre ye-geophysicist u-Randy Baldwin uye waqinisekisa ukuba iinyikima zaseSamoa kunye ne-Indonesian azihambelani. “Kukho umgama omde owahlula ezi nyikima zimbini, akukho budlelwane,” uxelele iintatheli. “Ngummandla nje osebenza kakhulu kuyo yonke indlela ejikeleze ulwandlekazi lwePasifiki.”
NgokukaBaldwin, inyikima yavela kwiikhilomitha ezingama-31 kumntla-ntshona wesixeko sasePadang kumazantsi eSumatra. Lo mmandla ukwindlela efanayo neyabangela itsunami enkulu yolwandlekazi lwaseIndiya ngo-2004 eyabulala abantu abangaphezu kwama-230,000.
Ngokwahlukileyo, enye inyikima iye yabetha ePeru naseBolivia. Inyikima ye-6.3-magnitude yabetha kumazantsi mpuma ePeru, kufutshane nekomkhulu laseBolivia iLa Paz, i-US Geological Survey yabika. Ngokweengxelo, inyikima, inzulu kakhulu kwiikhilomitha ezili-160.3, yenzeke malunga neekhilomitha ezili-100 kumntla-ntshona weLa Paz.
INTO ONOKUYITHATHA KWELI NQAKU:
- 6-magnitude on the Richter scale, the powerful earthquake struck off the coast of Sumatra and has so far killed at least 75 people and trapped thousands under debris and rubble, according to Indonesian officials.
- According to Baldwin, the quake originated 31 miles northwest of the city of Padang in southern Sumatra.
- The Sumatra quake reportedly sent shock waves to neighboring Singapore and Malaysia and briefly triggered fears of another tsunami for countries around the Indian Ocean.
