A magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck the Andaman Islands in 2009, prompting a regional tsunami watch across five countries but causing no casualties.
Key Facts
- Magnitude
- 7.5 Mw
- Date and Time (UTC)
- August 11, 2009, 19:55 UTC
- Epicentre distance from Port Blair
- 260 km north km
- Death toll
- 0
- Countries issued tsunami watch
- India, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Thailand
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The Andaman Islands lie along a seismically active subduction zone in the eastern Indian Ocean, where the Indo-Australian Plate converges beneath the Eurasian Plate. This tectonically volatile region had already produced the catastrophic 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, and continued stress accumulation along the fault system set the stage for another significant rupture.
On August 11, 2009, at 19:55 UTC, a magnitude 7.5 Mw earthquake struck the Andaman Islands region of India, with its epicentre approximately 260 km north of Port Blair. It was the strongest earthquake in the area since the 2004 Indian Ocean event. Tremors were felt across south-east India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Thailand.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued a tsunami watch for India, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Thailand, which was subsequently lifted after no tsunami materialized. No casualties or injuries were recorded, though some buildings sustained minor damage. The event underscored the ongoing seismic hazard of the Andaman Islands subduction zone.
Human Cost
Each dot represents approximately 10,000 deaths. Total estimated: 0 (earthquake)