Tsunami warning lifted (updated) | Bangkok Post: learning

General news

A tsunami warning was issued and the lifted for coastal areas of southern Thailand on the Andaman side after an 8.6 magnitude occurred off Sumatra. Evacuations took place but the warning was lifted before 8pm.

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20:00 The National Disaster Warning Centre has lifted the tsunami warning, centre director Somsak Khaosuwan said.

Grp Cpt Somsak said he was confident that there will be no tsunami in the six provinces on the western coast of Thaland.

The Phuket governor was just interviewed on Thai PBS and he said everything was under control.

Aftershocks are still a concern, however, so authorities will be monitor the situation throughout the night.

lift – to end a warning, a restriction, etc. ยกเลิก
confident – certain; having trust in people, plans, or the future มั่นใจ
aftershock – a sudden movement of the Earth's surface which often follows an earthquake and which is less violent than the first main movement แผ่นดินไหวเล็กน้อยที่เกิดหลังจากแผ่นดินไหวรุนแรง
concern – a worry ความกังวล
authorities – people who have the power to make decisions or enforce the law เจ้าหน้าที่ผู้มีอำนาจ
monitor – to regularly check someone/something จับตาดู เฝ้าระมัดระวัง

18:50 Earlier this afternoon, the Disaster Warning Centre issued an order for the people in the six provinces on the western coast of Thaland to evacuate to safe areas. If, as expected, the tsunami turns out to be minor, the evacuation is likely to be one of tomorrow's big stories. Reports are starting to come in of a slight rise in wave levels.

(natural) disaster –an unexpected natural event, such as a very bad storm or flood that kills a lot of people or causes a lot of damage ความหายนะธรรมชาติทาง, ภัยพิบัติธรรมชาติทาง
evacuation – moving people from a place of danger to a safer place การอพยพ

18:30 Earthquake experts interviewed on major international networks like CNN and BBC continue to stress that this type of earthquake with its horizontal motion is unlikely to generate a damaging tsunami. There is still a concern about aftershocks, however. So far there has been at least one major aftershock with a magnitude above 8 (Breaking: new report of a 8.3 magnitude aftershock).

If the first earthquake has generated a tsunami we should know within the next half hour or so. Reports from Indonesia indicate that the tsunami waves there are less than one metre high.

stress – to emphasise something; to say that something is important เน้นย้ำ
horizontal – flat and level; going across and parallel to the ground rather than going up and down ตามแนวนอน
motion – movement การเคลื่อนไหว
generate – to produce ก่อให้เกิด
concern – a worry ความกังวล
aftershock – a sudden movement of the Earth's surface which often follows an earthquake and which is less violent than the first main movement แผ่นดินไหวเล็กน้อยที่เกิดหลังจากแผ่นดินไหวรุนแรง
magnitude – size or strength  ขนาดหรือ ความรุนแรง

Tsunami warning issued for southern coast

A large 8.6 magnitude earthquake has been confirmed several hundred kilometres off the western coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra, setting off tsunami warnings throughout the area.

Evacuations are underway in the coastal provinces of Phuket, Krabi and Phang Nga.

In Phuket, people said they felt the tremor about 3.50pm.

Initial reports put the quake at 8.9, but this was quickly downgraded slightly to 8.6.

Experts are saying that the quake motion is different from that that caused the 2004 tsunami in our region and last year's tsunami in Japan. The  motion was more horizontal than vertical, thereby displacing less water and hopefully, reducing the chances of a hugely damaging tsunami.

If a tsunami does hit, the first effects should be felt along the Thai coasts within the hour, experts said.

magnitude – size or strength  ขนาดหรือ ความรุนแรง
coast – an area of land beside the sea ชายฝั่ง
evacuation – moving people from a place of danger to a safer place การอพยพ
underway – happening  กำลังเกิดขึ้น
tremor – a shaking of the earth; a (usually slight) earthquake การสั่นสะเทือน
initial – early; first  เบื้องต้น
motion – movement การเคลื่อนไหว
horizontal – flat and level; going across and parallel to the ground rather than going up and down ตามแนวนอน
vertical – going straight up or down from a level surface or from top to bottom in a picture, etc. ซึ่งตั้งตรง
displace – to move something from its usual position ทำให้เคลื่อนออก

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