Quake off Aceh triggers Indian Ocean tsunami warning

BANDA ACEH: Indonesia issued a tsunami warning after a huge 8.9 magnitude earthquake off its westernmost province Aceh, leading panicked locals to scramble out of their houses to seek refuge.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said an Indian Ocean wide tsunami alert was in effect, after a quake that the U.S Geological Survey said was 308 miles southwest of the province's capital Banda Aceh.

The quake was felt as far away as Singapore, Thailand and India.