Article: Singapore Feels New Quake Tremors, Straits Times, 1 Oct 2009.

S'pore feels new quake tremors


A second earthquake, less intense than Wednesday's, hits off southern Sumatra

Straits Times 1 Oct 2009 Earthquake in Padang

MORE tremors were felt in Singapore yesterday as a second major earthquake of magnitude 6.8 struck off the coast of southern Sumatra.

The authorities received over 60 calls from the public, who reported feeling tremors in parts of the island, including Beach Road, Woodlands, Ang Mo Kio, Marine Parade and Jurong West, at 9.52am.

The second round of tremors felt here was much less intense than the tremors on Wednesday evening, and lasted for only a few seconds.

Police said inspections at 74 buildings yesterday evening showed no signs of structural cracks.

The checks are in addition to the 234 buildings inspected on Wednesday evening.

A senior executive engineer at the Building and Construction Authority (BCA), Mr Stephen Mok, said more than 40 engineers had been deployed by the BCA to private residential homes, commercial buildings and schools island-wide since the first tremors were felt here, after a quake of 7.6 magnitude rocked the west Sumatra city of Padang.

Tremors were also felt in Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Malacca and Johor.

Experts said aftershocks were a common occurrence after a major quake but would have a minimal impact on Singapore.

Professor Kerry Sieh, director of the Earth Observatory of Singapore at Nanyang Technological University, said more aftershocks could be expected over the next few days and even months, although anything below a magnitude of seven was not likely to have any major impact here.

Singaporean Norlailah Kadola, who has more than 20 relatives living in Padang, has been frantically calling, but has not been able to reach anyone.

The administrative clerk, 54, said: 'We keep calling but there's no response. The lines are cut off. If we can reach one, we will at least know what's happening.'

Indonesian Junaidi Muhamad Zen, 43, who works here as an engineer, managed to contact his family in Padang only after multiple tries. Only his sister's mother-in-law remains uncontactable so far.

'Most of them were at home. They ran out of the house then went back inside when the conditions were more stable,' said the Singapore permanent resident.

With the airport in Padang closed to commercial flights, Tiger Airways flights to and from Padang have been suspended until further notice.

Those affected included an Indonesian couple, who did not realise their flight had been cancelled until reaching Changi Airport yesterday morning.

Ms Ira, 36, said she wanted to be with her relatives in Padang even though they were all safe.

AMRESH GUNASINGHAM, TEH JOO LIN & CAROLYN QUEK