Dynamic earth 7.8 Richter off Indonesia

Early in the morning of April 7, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck off the Indonesian island of Sumatra, accompanied by a tsunami warning, caused panic among the population.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the earthquake occurred at 5:15 (local time) at a depth of 46km, the epicenter was 60km southeast of Sinabang, in Aceh province.

Aceh people said the earthquake lasted about a minute, people panicked to the middle of the island, where the terrain was higher to prevent the tsunami.

People in Banda Aceh left the house after the April 7 earthquake for fear.(Photo: AFP / VNA)

Indonesia's Meteorological and Geophysical Agency announced that there were 5 aftershocks, from 5 degrees to 5.2 on the Richter scale, and at least 6 people were injured in this earthquake.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) in Indonesia issued a local tsunami warning in the coast of Aceh province, but an hour later lifted the warning.

In Thailand, the National Disaster Warning Center (NDWC) also issued a tsunami warning and asked people to leave the Andaman coast area to a safer place, but later lifted the warning.

The Malaysian Meteorological Bureau warns tsunamis in the waters of the states of Perlis, Penang and Kedah. PTWC in Honolulu Island (Hawaii) also warned of tsunamis.

The quake left regional countries recalling the December 2004 disaster after a 9.3-magnitude earthquake in northern Sumatra island caused tsunamis that killed more than 220,000 people in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India and Thailand. Lan and nine other countries, including 168,000 people in Indonesia and 5,400 people in the Andaman coast.

Meanwhile, in Brazil, unprecedented heavy rains in decades, dragging landslides and floods in the city of Rio de Janeiro from April 5 to now have killed at least 95 people, 40 injured, many missing and thousands of people lost their homes.

Roads flooded, electricity was cut, schools closed . Brazil's second largest city was completely paralyzed. The rescue agency said the number of casualties will continue to increase as the forecast of heavy rain will continue.

The mayor of Rio de Janeiro, Eduador Paes, said about 1,200 people have lost their homes and 10,000 houses are in danger of collapse, mainly in slums, where about one-fifth of Rio's population lives.

Disaster situation is raising concerns about the conditions of the venue for the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympic Games.

In Ecuador on April 6, at least two people were killed and many towns were flooded after heavy rains in the eastern Napo province. The Napo River has flooded its banks, submerging part of the city of Tena.

More than a dozen houses were destroyed, a collapsed bridge, 10 Tena counties and two counties in Archidon were flooded. Currently, rescue work is being carried out in the affected areas.

According to the Ecuadorian Government, between January and February, heavy rain has killed at least 12 people, damaged 115 homes and affected the lives of more than 180 households.