[VIDEO] 40% Bangunan KWSP Jalan Gasing, Petaling Jaya Terbakar. Tular di sosial media hari ini. I knew about the fire at EPF PJ via WhatsApp @ SAYS.com

I had just finished my lunch at quarter past noon today when I first got a message about the fire via WhatsApp.

[VIDEO] 40% Bangunan KWSP Jalan Gasing, Petaling Jaya Terbakar. Apa Puncanya?

http://says.com/my/seismik/video-40-bangunan-kwsp-jalan-gasing-petaling-jaya-terbakar-apa-puncanya#segment-230388

[FOTO] Feri 440 Tan Terangkat & Terdampar Di Darat Akibat Ditolak Ombak Kuat - Facebook Activated Crisis Response Page - Penang Flood Victims @ SAYS.com

@ SAYS.com
Facebook Has Activated A Crisis Response Page For Penang Flood Victims
http://says.com/my/news/facebook-safety-check-for-penang-flood-offer-and-request-for-volunteers-and-aid

[FOTO] Feri 440 Tan Terangkat & Terdampar Di Darat Akibat Ditolak Ombak Kuat
http://says.com/my/seismik/feri-440-tan-terangkat-terdampar-di-darat-selepas-ditolak-ombak-kuat

[PHOTOS] Bogel @ Pantai Saujana, Port Dickson Four women sunbathing at beach. [VIDEO] Puting beliung @ Pendang - SAYS.com

[PHOTOS] 4 Topless Women Cause A Stir At Pantai Saujana, Port Dickson
http://says.com/my/news/photos-4-topless-women-cause-a-stir-at-pantai-saujana-port-dickson

[VIDS/PICS] Strong Tornado Destroys 10 Houses In Kedah
http://says.com/my/news/vids-pics-strong-tornado-destroys-10-houses-in-kedah

[PHOTOS] Vagina talk: Feminism campaign inspired by Vagina Monologues. Haiyan: Donate to trusted organisations - SAYS.com

[PHOTOS] Is Vagina Talk The Right Way To Promote Women's Rights?

http://says.com/my/lifestyle/china-students-promote-feminism-using-their-vaginas

Now everyone knows about the super typhoon Haiyan that hit Philippines and wants to help.

[SHARE] Help Haiyan Victims. Here's A List Of Trusted Organisations You Can Donate To

http://says.com/my/news/list-of-organisations-to-donate-to-aid-victims-of-typhoon-haiyan-in-the-philippines

IOI Mall Puchong ground floor, LDP Highway: Flood!

TODAY on F a c e b o o k News 新闻最前线
https://www.facebook.com/fb.top.news

For news and photo of flood in IOI Mall, click on link below:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=604210509593846&set=a.209553929059508.65101.155483697799865&type=1&theater

Flood at LDP Highway:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=535882969767388&set=a.357592070929813.83277.357582290930791&type=1&theater

Explosion: Empire Shopping Gallery. More photos @ http://blog.galvintan.com/explosion-at-empire-shopping-gallery/

More photos

@

'Explosion At Empire Shopping Gallery'.

(Posting using email aka Mail2Blogger)

Uniqlo Donates $17 Million to Tsunami Relief Efforts

House Adrift in Pacific Ocean off of Japan Coast: The force of nature vs man

Click on image to enlarge.

Alternatively, click here to see the photo.

Why is there no looting in Japan? Japanese: A more highly evolved race!

March 15, 2011

Why is there no looting in Japan?

Posted: 05:00 PM ET

A masked boy walks past nearly-empty shelves at a supermarket in the Japanese city of Akita. (PHOTO CREDIT: ROSLAN RAHMAN/AFP/Getty Images)
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
In the wake of Japan's deadly earthquake, tsunami and nuclear power plant explosions, we have witnessed the almost indescribable chaos that follows a disaster of this magnitude: loss of life, severe injuries, homelessness, lack of water, food and proper medical care, the physical destruction of towns and cities, and a growing fear of radioactive contamination from power plants that seem beyond anyone's ability to control.
But one heart-wrenching byproduct of disasters like this one has been missing in Japan, and that’s looting and lawlessness.
Looting is something we see after almost every tragedy; for example: last year's earthquakes in Haiti and Chile, the floods in England in 2007, and of course Hurricane Katrina back in 2005. It happens when some people who've seen life as they know it get tossed out the window feel that all morality has been tossed out too. It's survival of the fittest and whatever you can get your hands on is yours, no matter who it belongs to.
But that's not happening in Japan.
Journalist and social commentator Ed West wrote in the UK Telegraph yesterday how struck he was by the Japanese culture throughout this ordeal. He observed how supermarkets cut their prices in the days following the quake and how vending machine owners were giving out free drinks as "people work together to survive." And West was most surprised by the fact that there was no looting.
Many have pointed to the popularity of Japan's distinctive Buddhist and Shinto religions as well as how the values of conformity and consensus are considered virtues in their culture. That's one explanation, but it probably has something to do with remaining true to your moral code even in the darkest hours.
Here’s my question to you: Why is there no looting in Japan?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?

Kim:
Because Japanese culture, unlike all other modern cultures, is based primarily on honor and dignity. Unlike our Katrina disaster, the Japanese don't see this as an opportunity to steal everything in sight. The so-called civilized world can learn much from the stoic Japanese.
Greg in Arkansas:
Two words: National pride. The people of Japan love their country and do what is best for the nation, unlike the United States where we love our country and do what is best for ourselves.
Natasha:
The Japanese are resourceful, innovative and disciplined people with a great sense of national pride. While they also have criminals and felons, it is not quite in comparison to the sleaze balls we have in our streets. It was disgusting to watch these scum bags loot stores in New Orleans during Katrina when they should have helped their fellow citizens in need. While watching the devastation in Japan is heart wrenching, it is so refreshing to see the civility of people within the calamity they are facing.
Larry in Georgetown, Texas:
Jack, I was blessed to visit Japan several years ago on business and was told that if I lost my wallet in downtown Tokyo that the person who found it would make it their mission to return it to me in tact. These people are very gracious and kind.
Carol:
Sociologists will tell you that the lack of looting is just the result of large numbers of people developing a more orderly society to cope with living in a smaller land mass. Personally, I've always thought it's because they're a more highly evolved race.
Joy:
It's the Japanese culture - very refined, dignified, disciplined and civilized. We should all learn from them. They're the types of people you help out willingly because you know that they'll make full use of any opportunity to get back on their feet.
Richard:
I don't really know. It would be easy to say that they are a very homogeneous society and perhaps in a way consider each other family. In any case they are to be applauded.

Minamisanriku tragedy: Google images before and after the tsunami 2011

Minamisanriku used to be a charming resort on this coastline of deep, wooded, islands and mountainous inlets but it is famed for something else now - it is true. According to local people, around 10,000 of Minamisanriku's 17,000 inhabitants are now missing and are presumed dead.

Click here to read 'Inside Minamisanriku: 'some kind of Armageddon''.

Fukushima Nuclear Accident - a simple and accurate explanation @ www.bravenewclimate.com

Fukushima Nuclear Accident - a simple and accurate explanation

If you want to stay informed, please forget the usual media outlets and consult the following websites:

• http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/RS_Battle_to_stabilise_earthquake_reactors_1203111.html
• http://bravenewclimate.com/2011/03/12/japan-nuclear-earthquake/
• http://ansnuclearcafe.org/2011/03/11/media-updates-on-nuclear-power-stations-in-japan/

2012: Japan earthquake, tsunami precursors to the 2012 global cataclysm?

I remember seeing scenes of disaster in Japan when I watched the movie '2012' in the year 2009/10.

So, are we really going to witness the worst ever calamity in 2012 - 'the end of the world'?

If it happens, will we be lucky enough to survive?

I think there is no need for me to post anything related to the current catastrophe in Japan as the Internet is all abuzz with 'quake tsunami Japan natural disaster' and whatnot.

Right now, all over the world, people's hearts go out to the people of Japan.

Kelantan pernah banjir teruk. Sekarang Johor banjir teruk. Is it an act of God?

Tuesday February 1, 2011

Mad scramble to leave Labis as floods threaten

LABIS: It was a race against time for motorists when the trunk road from here to Yong Peng reopened to vehicles.

They literally scrambled to leave because rising waters in the river nearby threatened to flood the roads again yesterday.

Media personnel who came here to cover the Tenang by-election and campaigners made up the bulk of those rushing to leave.

Petrol kiosks were full of vehicles, mostly with outstation registration number plates, especially Selangor and the Federal Territory, waiting to fill their tanks for the “escape”.

The trunk road from Labis to Yong Peng was also full of potholes after the flood yesterday.

The signs of an impending flood were evident as flood waters from oil palm plantations lining the road was spilling over to the left lane.

The same situation affected the road from Yong Peng to Labis with water spilling over to the left lane.

But there were hardly any vehicles heading towards Labis which is the stop before Segamat.

Segamat has been the worst hit by the flood and remained inaccessible yesterday.

Journalists from Kuala Lumpur who stayed in Segamat and travelled to Labis daily to cover the by-election had to leave their belongings in Segamat.

Many left Labis for Kuala Lumpur with only the clothes they were wearing and their laptops and mobile phones.

Related Stories:
Airlift for the stranded, DPM also orders food to be sent to Johor flood victims
Segamat flood updates on Facebook
40,000 evacuated to relief centres as floods hit five states
Messages on situation in Johor pouring in via Twitter

 

Sinkhole in Guatemala! Sinkhole or sTink-hole?

Sometimes, you wish the earth will open up and swallow you.
After seeing this sinkhole, you'll be careful what you wish for.

 (Image source: Gizmodo)

Click here to go to Gizmodo - The Gates of Hell Just Opened in Guatemala.

Huge 8.8-magnitude quake hits Chile - www.torontosun.com

Huge 8.8-magnitude quake hits Chile

By Eva Vergara,Roberto Candia, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Last Updated: February 27, 2010 4:55pm

A killer earthquake in Chile sent tsunami warnings from coastal areas of British Columbia to countries in the Asian-Pacific region on Saturday. Read the full story

Mild Earthquake Detected In Kuala Pilah - nizar nizar nizar nizar nizar nizar nizar nizar nizar

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 30 (Bernama) -- A mild earthquake measuring 3.3 on the Richter scale occurred in Kuala Pilah, Negeri Sembilan early this morning.

The Malaysian Meteorological Department in a statement said the quake occurred at 12.15am and the epicentre was at 22km east of Seremban.

However, the department said, no tremors were felt as a result of the quake.

--BERNAMA

Hospital evacuated as Australian wildfires blaze

About 100 bushfires were burning in eastern Australia today as a hospital was evacuated and 1,000 firefighters battled the blazes amid sweltering conditions.

Click here to read more at Bangkok Post.

Philippines looks to God as super typhoon looms

Last Friday, President Gloria Arroyo placed the entire Philippines under a "state of calamity," as a powerful typhoon, Typhoon Parma, threatened more devastation following deadly floods, her spokesman said.

As the super typhoon approached, officials were pleading for God to save the disaster-struck Southeast Asian country from more devastation while millions of terrified Philippine flood survivors hunkered down.

Thankfully, the next day, Typhoon Parma changed direction.

Indeed, God is merciful.

God hears the prayers of those who sincerely seek Him.

Second earthquake hits stricken Sumatra

• Second earthquake has shaken western Indonesia as hundreds remain trapped
• Quake struck about 180 miles from epicentre of first tremors

• Peter Beaumont
• guardian.co.uk, Thursday 1 October 2009 05.52 BST
• Article history

A video grab shows a foot among the wreckage of a building following an earthquake in Padang in Indonesia Photograph: REUTERS TV/Reuters

A second powerful earthquake has hit the Indonesian island of Sumatra, a day after the first devastating quake which has left hundreds and possibly thousands of people buried in rubble and a major city cut off from the outside world.

The new quake, of 6.9 magnitude, struck in the early hours, about 180 miles from the epicentre of the more powerful tremor out at sea yesterday - becoming the second large quake to hit the area within 24 hours.

The number of confirmed deaths from the first quake was between 100 and 200, according to disaster relief officials but they warned that the figure was likely to rise, with the head of the country's crisis centre saying at least 1,000 may have been killed.

There were no immediate injuries known from the second quake.

Indonesia's government dispatched teams of rescue workers to the stricken region. International aid agencies were preparing to launch a major relief effort as tens of thousands of people spent a night in the open in pouring rain after their homes were damaged.

Health minister Siti Fadilah Supari said: "This is a high-scale disaster," adding that he believed it was more powerful than the earthquake in Yogyakarta in 2006, referring to a city on the Indonesian island of Java where 3,000 people died.

The magnitude 7.6 earthquake – which came less than 24 hours after another fatal quake off the South Pacific island of Samoa – struck at 5.16pm. Its centre was reported to be around 30 miles offshore from Padang, a city of 900,000, at a depth of around 53 miles.

There was immediate widespread panic in the city. "The earthquake was very strong," said a woman called Kasmiati, who lives on the coast. "People ran to high ground. Houses and buildings were badly damaged. I was outside, so I am safe, but my children at home were injured," she said before her mobile phone went dead.

Fears that a catastrophe might have occurred were raised after Indonesia's vice-president, Jusuf Kalla, told a news conference in Jakarta that homes, hotels, mosques, schools, shops and other buildings had been destroyed in Padang, the largest city in western Sumatra.

Television footage from the city showed scenes of devastation, including the foot of a buried body sticking from rubble.

"We have received a report from the mayor of Padang that the death toll is 75. But many others are trapped in collapsed shops, building and hotels." Kalla added: "It is definitely higher than that. It's hard to tell because there is heavy rain and a blackout."

Officials with Indonesia's National Search and Rescue Agency, who were attempting to reach the scene last night, said they had also received reports that many homes had been destroyed, with early reports suggesting that between 500 and 1,000 houses had collapsed.

Priyadi Kardono, a spokesman for Indonesia's National Disaster Management Agency, said it had also received eyewitness accounts of destruction in the nearby town of Pariaman, to the north of Padang, as well as in Padang itself. Fears that the death toll could rise rapidly were raised by Rustam Pakaya, head of the health ministry's crisis centre, who said that in addition to known fatalities, thousands more people could be buried in the rubble, though officials later suggested the number still trapped in the city was as low as 100. Two hospitals in Padang were reported to be among the collapsed buildings, said Rustum, adding that a field hospital was being prepared to help survivors. Several hotels were also said to have been seriously damaged, while a shopping mall was badly hit.

The first emergency medical relief – a team of 40 doctors from Jakarta – was expected to reach the area today.

Rescue efforts, however, have been hampered by the disruption of electricity and telecommunication lines, which have thrown Padang into darkness. All roads into the city were also reported to have been blocked by landslides.

In a further blow the airport at Padang was described as "inaccessible" by a pilot from the state airline who attempted to reach it and was forced to turn back. According to one report the roof of the airport had caved in.

While most of the early attention has focused on the large, sprawling city of Padang, concern was mounting over the fate of towns and villages in the surrounding countryside. In the town of Maninjau, further inland, a resident, Hafiz, told local media he had watched houses being buried in a landslide when a hill collapsed.

The earthquake in Sumatra came 24 hours after a huge tsunami struck Samoa at dawn on Tuesday – triggered by an earthquake measuring between 8.0 and 8.3 – which also flattened villages and swept cars and people out to sea, killing at least 100 people and leaving dozens missing. Survivors fled the churning water for higher ground on the South Pacific islands.

Shocks from the Sumatran earthquake could be felt in high buildings in Jakarta, several hundred miles away. It was also felt in neighbouring Singapore and Malaysia.

An eyewitness to the destruction in Sumatra was Malaysian student Fashareena Nazir, who is studying at the Universitas Andalas medical faculty, which was damaged in the earthquake.

"There were rumbles and a loud noise, like a bang," she told Malaysia's Bernama news agency after walking three miles to safety. The 23-year old described seeing neighbours' houses on fire and ground caving in or disappearing before her eyes.

Another severely damaged location was reported to be Padang's Industrial Technic Academy. A lecturer there, Erwinsyah Sipahutar, told local television that hundreds of students evacuated the campus as the quake broke most of the windows.

"We were shaken like matchsticks," Erwinsyah said.

Another resident of Padang, called Adi, later told Metro Television there was devastation all around him. "For now I can't see dead bodies, just collapsed houses. Some half-destroyed, others completely. People are standing around too scared to go back inside. They fear a tsunami," said Adi. "No help has arrived yet. I can see small children standing around carrying blankets. Some people are looking for relatives but all the lights have gone out completely."

In Pariaman – closer to the centre – one resident, Yuliarni, told TV One news: "The shaking was the worst I had ever felt. Houses have collapsed, the lights and electricity were cut off … People were fleeing to higher ground and some were hurt."

Padang lies on one of the world's most active faultlines, where the Indo-Australian and Eurasian plates are colliding, and had been named by geologists in Indonesia as the most likely location to fall victim to a major earthquake or tsunami. It is the same faultline that was responsible for the devastating Indian Ocean tsunami that killed more than 220,000 people on Boxing Day 2004.

The zone's other segments have already cracked, including a large portion off Aceh, at the northern tip of Sumatra, which triggered the 2004 tsunami.

"Padang sits right in front of the area with the greatest potential for an 8.9 magnitude earthquake," Danny Hilman Natawidjaja, a geologist at the Indonesian Science Institute, warned in February. "The entire city could drown" in a tsunami triggered by such a quake, he warned then.

Backpackers' gateway

Padang is a sprawling city of 900,000 residents on the west coast of Sumatra. Described as friendly, noisy, bustling and dirty, Padang is a popular jumping-off point for backpackers and surfers hoping to reach the Indian Ocean islands of Mentawai, the hills and national parks beyond the city, and other destinations in Indonesia and Malaysia. The city itself has few attractions besides Taplau beach, with its beautiful sunsets and hundreds of food stalls, and Bungus bay, popular with swimmers and locals in the evenings.

Arriving from the relative comfort of the mainland makes for a rough landing, writes the Lonely Planet. "Despite the urge to hide from the smell of kerosene and diesel exhaust, you'll find that the locals are genuinely friendly and curious about the few foreigners who find their way into town … a sprawling, noisy place circumnavigated by tripped-out opelet [minibus] blasting squeaks-and-beeps techno music."

Jo Adetunji
(Source: guardian.co.uk)

Tremors @ Workplace - Quake in Sumatra, tremors in Malaysia

At about 6:18 pm, I felt myself being swayed as I was sitting on the chair at my work station. 'I am moving...' I thougt to myself, '...but I am not moving...Is this an earthquake...?' I looked around the office. No one seemed to know.

Suddenly, one of my colleagues shouted, 'Oh my God!' We looked at him looking straight at a bottle of water on the table. 'Earthquake!' he said. 'Yes, earthquake!' I echoed him. By now, most of us were in a state of shock, followed by a commotion. We started talking about 'THE EARTHQUAKE', not knowing that there was a quake in Sumatra though some knew of the tsunami that hit Saoma.

Even though the 'quake' stopped, we did not stop talking about it until...well, I don't know when. I left the office 15 minutes later and was still having some 'aftershocks'...As I left the building into the open, I couln't help but thank God for His mercy...that there were just tiny tremors...

@ The Star Online

Published: Wednesday September 30, 2009 MYT 6:33:00 PM
Updated: Wednesday September 30, 2009 MYT 10:18:04 PM

Quake in Sumatra, tremors in Malaysia (Update 8)

Tremors felt in office blocks

PETALING JAYA: A powerful earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale struck off the city of Padang off the coast of southern Sumatra at about 6.17pm on Wednesday, killing at least 21 people, trapping thousands of others and causing tremors as far away as peninsular Malaysia and Singapore.

The earthquake which damaged houses, brought down bridges and buildings and caused fires in Padang, also caused people to evacuate buildings in various towns and cities in Malaysia.

The epicentre of the quake was about 481km southwest of Kuala Lumpur.

At 6.38pm, a temblor measuring 5.5 in magnitude was also recorded 11km north of Padang.

So far, there has been no report of the 300 Malaysian students at Andalas University in Padang being affected by the massive earthquake.

Malaysian Consul-General Fauzi Omar told The Star that he has contacted the Sumatra Barat tourism chief and was told that there is no report of any Malaysians being hurt.

“Well at least the tourism chief’s handset is still working. I have been told the Minangkabau airport in Padang is closed.

“I am trying to leave for Padang tonight. It is a one-hour flight and by road it will take at least one day because of the bad road condition,” Fauzi said.

The Malaysian Embassy in Jakarta is despatching a team to Padang in Sumatra to assist the Consul-General in Medan in checking on the students.

Padang was hardest hit by the earthquake.

“We are sending a team as soon as possible and our Consul-General in Pekan Baru will also be despatched to help,” said Malaysian embassy charge d’affaires Amran Mohamad Zain.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre first issued a tsunami alert for Malaysia (George Town and Port Dickson specifically), Indonesia, India and Thailand, but cancelled it at about 7.31pm.

The Malaysian Meteorological Department monitored the situation from the outset, but did not issue a tsunami warning because no significant waves were generated.

In the JayaOne complex here, reports came in of shaking furniture and swaying fixtures.

In KUALA LUMPUR, Mariam Anis and her colleagues on their 21st-floor office in Plaza Sentral in Jalan Sultan Ismail felt the tremors.

“The tremors were strong and I could feel the building shaking. My colleagues and I did not waste another second and ran towards the emergency stairways to make our way down from the 21st floor.

“It was rather scary,” she said.

Tremors were also felt in the federal administrative capital of PUTRAJAYA. Mohd Kamel Othman, press secretary to Minister Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop, was in his office at the Prime Minister’s Department when he felt the tremors.

“I could literally see the building moving from left to right. Even the flowerpots were shaking. I immediately rallied my colleagues to leave the building.

“My minister also came out of his office as he too could feel the tremors,” he said, adding while he had experienced tremors before, the ones which on Wednesday were stronger.

In GEORGE TOWN, people rushed out of several high-rise buildings in Macallum Street, Tanjung Bungah, Tanjung Tokong, Gurney Drive and the inner city of George Town.

Student C.Y. Khoo, 18, said she decided to walk out from the cinema in Gurney Plaza with her friends after she felt the tremors.

“I feared for my safety. My friends and I decided to get out from the cinema although we like the movie very much,” she said.

A Golden Screen Cinema spokesman said a tremor was felt at about 6.20pm for about 25 seconds.

“Some moviegoers walked out of the cinema but ... generally, the situation was not that serious,” he said.

Penang police chief Deputy Comm Wira Ayub Yaakob said policemen were deployed to monitor the situation.

“My men were on the look-out and would have moved in to help if the need arose,” he said.

Marine Operations Force Region I commander Asst Comm Zainul Abidin Hasan said all his men, both at the base and on patrol, were put on standby.

State secretary Datuk Zainal Rahim Seman said Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng was concerned about the initial tsunami alert.

“The state directed all relevant departments such as the police to be on standby,” he said.

A State Fire and Rescue Department spokesman said they received numerous calls from anxious residents enquiring about the tremors.

However, there were no reports of any injuries or of anybody trapped in lifts or buildings.

In JOHOR BARU, many people rushed out of buildings and the new Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) complex halted operations abruptly and was evacuated for about 40mins.

This caused massive congestion as thousands of motorists were returning from Singapore after office hours.

Fire and Rescue Department personnel were called in to check the building before operations resumed.

The lanes were later reopened and traffic policemen deployed to control traffic at the complex.

Assistant administrative worker Wong Hook Tuck, 52, who was at his office at level six of Menara Plaza Pelangi, described the tremors as bad.

“The tremors started at around 6.15pm and lasted for about five minutes.

“I felt very dizzy and all my colleagues and I started to evacuate the building as the fire alarm had gone off,” he said.

He said he was in shock and had thought that there was an earthquake in Malaysia.

In Taman Ehsan Jaya, administrative executive Surinder Kaur said she was shocked when the people in her apartment building started running downstairs, saying that there was an earthquake.

“I stay on the second floor and I didn’t feel anything, but my neighbours warned me about the tremors and told me to quickly evacuate,” she said.

She said one of her neighbours was having his dinner at the time and the whole table started to shake, spilling the soup he was eating.

“All of the residents quickly assembled at the ground floor; the tremors lasted for about four minutes,” she said.

In SINGAPORE, residents from Toa Payoh, Woodlands, Bukit Timah, Simei and Kembangan in the eastern part, reported tremors shaking their buildings, The Straits Times reported.

A spokesman from National Environment Agency said it received calls from members of the public from Red Hill, Choa Chu Kang, Changi, Toa Payoh, the city area, Punggol, Sengkang, Sembawang and Pasir Ris.

Kee Ya Ting of Woodlands said she thought her flat was going to collapse.

“I was scared. I live on the 12th floor. I was sitting at my desk when the flat shook and I felt myself swaying from left to right. I thought my flat was going to collapse,” she told the paper.

In PADANG itself, the situation looked dire. Indonesian television reported that hundreds of buildings had collapsed and many people were feared trapped under the rubble.

Footage from Padang showed flattened buildings, with at least one person trapped underneath, a foot sticking out from beneath the debris, The Associated Press reported.

“The earthquake was very strong,” said Kasmiati, who lives on the coast near to the epicenter. “People ran to high ground. Houses and buildings were badly damaged.”

“I was outside, so I am safe, but my children at home were injured,” she said before her cellphone went dead.

The quake triggered a landslide that cut off land transport to the provincial town of Padang Pandang, which lies about 70km north of Padang, said a police officer in the town, who identified himself only as Riko. He said three cars were reportedly hit by the landslide.

Padang, a sprawling low-lying city of around 900,000, was badly hit by an 8.4 magnitude quake in September 2007, when dozens of people died and several large buildings collapsed, AP said.

Power in the city was reportedly cut and telecommunications networks were down or overloaded, making it difficult to get accurate information about the extent of the damage.

“Many buildings are badly damaged, including hotels and mosques,” said Wandono, an official at Meteorology and Geophysic Agency in the capital, Jakarta, citing reports from residents.

He said a steep, sloping riverbank collapsed, houses had toppled and a fire had broken out in buildings on the road to Padang.

Wednesday’s quake comes a day after a quake with a magnitude of between 8.0 and 8.3 in the South Pacific hurled a massive tsunami at the shores of Samoa and American Samoa, flattening villages and leaving at least 99 dead and dozens missing.

The epicenter of Wednesday’s temblor off Indonesia lies several thousand kilometres to the west, on the other side of Australia.

Danger ahead
Geologists have said Padang, which lies near the colliding Indo-Australian and Eurasian tectonic plates, is the most likely in the country to fall victim to the next major quake or tsunami, AFP reported.

“There will be aftershocks but it’s difficult to predict whether there will be a bigger quake,” Geological Disaster Mitigation and Volcanology Centre head Surono told AFP.

“There are three big volcanoes in West Sumatra -- Merapi, Talang and Tandikat. We fear that this quake might cause volcanic eruptions there,” he said.

Experts have said the city is most at risk from a final segment along the zone shifting to unleash a massive amount of energy.

The zone’s other segments have already cracked, including a large portion off Aceh, at the northern tip of Sumatra, which triggered the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami which killed more than 220,000 people.

Plans for evacuation shelters and improved roads to provide better escape routes from tsunami have mostly not been realised.

Indonesia sits on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” where the meeting of continental plates causes high volcanic and seismic activity.

A quake on the main island of Java earlier this month killed 123 people.