India on alert following tsunami warning

Indian Meteorological Department keeps a careful watch on the situation following tsunami alert, reports Satyen Mohapatra.

Following major earthquake near Kurile Islands off Pacific Coast north of Japan, Indian Meteorological Department is under high alert with tsunami warnings.

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Dr RS Dattatrayam, Director (Seismology) speaking to the Hindustan Times said that earthquake with a magnitude of 8.1 on the Richter scale was picked by Indian seismograph network of stations of the Indian Meteorological Department.

The origin of the earthquake was at 16.44 minutes IST, he added.

He said, "There is no danger to India or no cause for concern for a tsunami occurring in Indian coastal regions due to this earthquake, however IMD is keeping close watch on the seismic activity in the region as it is the circum Pacific belt or Ring of Fire."

"This is the most seismically active area of the globe with nearly 80 per cent of the world's big earthquakes occuring along the 40,000 km horseshoe shaped ring due to global tectonic movements," he added.