New Delhi: India Wednesday asked states along its east coast to be on high alert amid tsunami fears following a massive earthquake in Indonesia.
The union home ministry issued advisories asking the governments of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and all east coast states to issue a “coastal alert”, an official spokesperson said in a statement. The warning was sounded in view of the alert issued by the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) following the 8.5 earthquake in Indonesia.
Teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed and kept on standby as a precautionary measure.
“Six teams have moved to Chennai. In addition, six more teams have moved to the Hindon airbase (near the capita). Airlift will be organised by the air force in case these teams need to be flown.”
Even in Kolkatta people came out of homes and offices and Metro services were halted Wednesday as tremors from the massive earthquake that hit Indonesia were felt in Kolkata and its outskirts.
“Yes there have been tremors of the earthquake,” said G.C. Debnath, director, Regional Meteorological Centre, Kolkata.
Hundreds of Kolkatans ran out of their homes and offices and gathered on the streets. The tremors were felt in various parts of the city, especially in Lake Town, Salt Lake and Park Street area.(IANS)
