Gulf nations have been spared any impact of a potentially "destructive" Tsunami later today following a major earthquake in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Indonesia.
A statement issued by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre (PTWC) earlier today named the UAE, Oman and Yemen among the countries that could have been impacted this evening if a Tsunami does result from the earthquake.
The 8.7 magnitude earthquake occurred off the coast of Northern Sumatra just before 9am GMT this morning.
The PTCW initially forecast that a Tsunami could reach Fujairah in the UAE, Omani capital Muscat and Yemeni port Aden this evening.
However, at about 4pm local time the PTCW released another report saying all Gulf states were no longer at risk.
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Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives could all still be impacted though, the report states.
“Earthquakes of this size have the potential to generate a widespread destructive Tsunami that can affect coastlines across the entire Indian Ocean basin,” a statement from PTWC read.
The PTWC clarified that it was not certain that the earthquake would cause a Tsunami.
The statement added that the bulletin was only issued as advice to government agencies, and individual responses were up to national and local government agencies.
