5.6 Earthquake Hits Indonesia's Northern Waters

An earthquake off the west coast of Northern Sumatra registered with a magnitude of 5.6 on Friday morning local time. According to the United States Geological Survey National Earthquake Information Center, the quake was roughly 57 miles southwest of Banda Aceh, Indonesia.

According to BMKG Indonesia, a local geological survey center, there is no tsunami threat to follow after being reviewed by seismologists but the possibility of aftershocks should be monitored. While earthquakes happen with relative frequency in the Sumatra area waters, the larger concern for Indonesia and nearby Thailand are the threats of tsunamis. Last month, similar earthquakes shook areas surrounding the Thai vacation island of Phuket.

According to a report by the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation in Phuket, water earthquakes could generate tsunamis if they register at least a 7 on the Richter scale.