A large earthquake hit Monday off Indonesia's Sumatra island (). MSNBC.com asked readers in the region to share what they felt and witnessed. Here are some of their reports. (We are no longer taking submissions on this topic.)
Lights dancing to strange tune
It was 00:20am when it happened. I was reading when I started noticing the light hanging from the ceiling of my bedroom swinging from side to side. I went around my apartment checking for the other lights and they were all dancing at a strange tune. Then I realized there must be an earth tremor strong enough to send us vibrations all the way up to my 32nd floor apartment in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. I saw all the confirming reports on CNN the following morning. Thank God no tsunami!
—Maithã Ng, ala Lumpur, Malaysia
I just screamed, it's an earthquake
I was with my husband and cousin, playing pool on the 3rd Floor, Metro Club, Klang. At about 12.09pm as I was sipping my drink, I felt the table I was sitting at shake, and I felt the swaying of my chair. So I asked the waiter standing next to me, why are the tables moving, and he just said, it could be due to the loud music downstairs. But as I raised my head to watch the TV above me I saw all the televisions shaking and the pool table lights shaking tremendously.
I just screamed, it’s an earthquake, and immediately my husband, Richard peeped out of the window but saw nothing bad. We could still feel the tremor and we ran out of the building. We took the lift to the ground floor since the exit to the stairs was blocked. Even the lift was shaking. As soon as we reached the ground floor, we ran outside and found many others who had felt the same out there. It was truly an experience to witness the greatness of nature.
—Barbara Marcia, Klang, Selangor Darul Ehsan
Aftershocks
I felt the tremors last night around 00.20. I was reading in bed when my whole bed began to rock gently, the toilet door started banging against its frame and the curtains were swaying. This went on for three to five minutes but it felt longer. I knew immediately it was an earthquake somewhere. The residents in my apartment building evacuated but most were calm. It was an hour before we went back inside.
I don't know about other aftershocks but I felt another one this afternoon at about 14.10. Nothing has been reported so far but my colleagues and I are sure that we felt something because the water in our glasses was swirling and we felt dizzy, like there was some sort of movement.
I am impressed at the speed of the tsunami warnings, I only wish this was our reaction on December 26th. I also think we should be more prepared in keeping emergency kits. My hope is that those who are directly affected by the quake are safe.
—Alia Soraya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Shaking house
I live in a two-story brick house in Prai, Penang State, Malaysia. I was watching TV downstairs with my wife when the earthquake struck. It was about 0010 Malaysian time. At first we heard a rattling sound at the front door (very strange noise, we thought the noise was caused by strong wind but we were wrong), then the wooden chair where I sat started shaking, then I realized it was an earthquake. The chandelier and the fan were also shaking. I ran upstairs to wake up all my children. The house was shaking and I felt like a dizzy man. We quickly got out of the house. The quake lasted about two to three minutes. There is no apparent damage to the house.
—Amat, Prai, Penang
Initially I thought I was sleepy
It was around midnight when it happened and I had just came back very late from work last night. When I was reading my email on my computer, I felt a slight swaying motion happening and my computer monitor was moving slightly back and forth. Initially I thought I was sleepy and started to take deep breaths to make me more awake and alert but the swaying was still there. Looking around I saw my camera hanging on the door and swinging and my heart sank as I knew an earthquake was happening somewhere in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia country area.
I went to bed praying to God to help us and hoping that it would not be like the tsunami.
—Albert Bravo Quah, Singapore
Everyone was out of their houses
It was about 12:15 a.m. I was online, surfing the Internet, when shaking start to occur. My computer desk was shaking as well as my hands. The sliding door started to jar and shake. The fan started to turn while jarring. At first, I didn't think it was a quake. When I realized it might be the impact of another quake, the shaking and jarring started to subside. When I peered outside, everyone was out of their houses. Then everything started to calm down.
—Anusha Apparau, Rawang, Selangor, Malaysia
TV shaking
I was watching a movie at my place at Idaman Sutera, Medan Idaman, Kuala Lumpur, a 27-story high condominium. It was just before midnight. Suddenly, the picture on the screen appeared distorted. I thought it was due to the poor quality of the DVD, as it was a pirated copy. Then, I noticed that the indoor TV antennae that I had placed on top of the TV shook. The TV stand had 'shifted' and the couch where I sat vibrated. I heard about the last tremour in Penang, but I had never experienced it. Then I heard my neighbours walking down to the lower ground.
—Ling, Medan Idaman, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
March 28, 2005
Utter panic on the streets
It is 2.15 pm (local time) and I was travelling from the Colombo airport and on the way there was utter panic on the streets of downtown Colombo. These are people living close to the sea and almost all the families are fleeing their homes. All the lorries, tempos and buses are full and people are trying to get into anything to move beyond the coast towards any safer place.
—Saroj Dash, Colombo, Sri Lanka
Fears in Banda Aceh
Awoke to a large amount of shaking and rumbling then the electricity went off. I went outside and saw people talking and beginning to gather family, friends, clothes and food for an evacuation. People are very afraid of the potential of another tsunami.
—Dr. Arthur D Oates, Banda Aceh, Indonesia
SMS network not working
I was sitting on the sofa watching TV. Then came in my dad, he sat on the sofa next to mine. I wanted to get a drink so I got up. Suddenly, my dad shouted out to me, "The chair is shaking! Earthquake!?!" I was thinking it was the effect of our home theater system, but when I sat on the chair it was shaking, it wasn't as long as the one we felt on Dec. 26 last year. Soon, my mom, sister and the maid woke up saying that they too felt the earthquake. After that I tried to send text messages to some of my friends and family, but the network wasn't working properly -- the earthquake must have effected it. Thank god nothing serious happened here in. I hope the rest of the world is safe.
—Seumas Teh Shu Men, Georgetown, Penang
I have never been so scared!
I was sleeping in my room at the 6th Floor Lavinia apartment. I woke up as I felt very strong vibrations and the building shook. I was scared to death as this was the strongest earthquake I have ever felt and it lasted for more than 20 seconds. I screamed and woke up the whole family, carried my 7-year-old son down the stairs. I have never been so scared!!
I knew there must have been another earthquake in Sumatera. Feel so sorry for them.. Hope they are all ok there!
—Sri, Bayan Lepas, Penang
Water swirling in the mug
I was watching television with my wife when suddenly I felt dizzy. My wife, who was drinking water, put down the glass and pointed that water swirling in the mug. She then pointed out ornaments on the wall were swaying. Immediately ran outside and alerted neighbors. They also felt the tremors. Once outside I propped myself against a car, but it also was shaking. Residents started coming out. The trees along the road and hanging decorative items were swaying for around 90-120 seconds. Really gave us jitters. After another 20 minutes only did we all feel safe enough to return inside.
—Sasikumar, Telok Panglima Garang, Selangor, Malaysia
Everything was vibrating
Yes we did feel the vibration. We are here in Banting, Kuala Langat, Selangor, Malaysia. It happened at about 12.10 am (local time). Everything was vibrating and our bed started to move from left to right. Our mum was the first to notice the vibration. The vibration lasted about 2 minutes. We rushed out of the house just to see our neighbors out of their houses too.
—Shan, Banting, Selangor
Praying for no after-effects
It was just after midnight about 12.10 am. There was a very clear movement of my body. I was sitting in front of my computer. I thought I was feeling dizzy. But it went on for more than 10 seconds when I realized something is wrong. My wall mirror started banging the wall. The movement could have easily lasted about 2 minutes or so. Woke my family up, carried my son and ran out of my apartment. My neighbors were doing the same. Tried calling police and 999. There was no response. After more than half an hour we decided to go back into out units. I'm praying that there are no after effects.
—Punita Nook Naidu, Klang, Selangor, Malaysia
One big quake
I'm living in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, approximately 350 kms from the epicenter of the quake. At approx. 12:15 hours local time, I was lying in bed reading. Bed started shaking, and when I stood up, floor was swaying/vibrating quite strongly. Noticed that the fish tank water was swirling or tilting up and down. Ran down the staircase from my 3rd floor apartment. Tremors/shaking lasted approx 3-5 minutes. Must be one big quake somewhere far away for it to affect KL like this.
—Ong Chee Keong, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
I felt really dizzy
I was trying to concentrate on my assignments when my mom suddenly banged on the door, shouting, "earthquake!!!! "
Suddenly I felt really dizzy and my body was swaying from side to side. The tables were all shaking. Though it's not as bad as how people in Sumatra would feel, it did really scare me and the rest of Penang. People were hurrying out of their homes with little children, all in their pajamas. I prayed to God, so that He would protect us all. It's only with His grace we can pull through. God bless us all. My prayers are with the people of the world.
—Awy, Penang, Malaysia
Quake felt in Bangkok
We felt the earthquake in Bangkok tonight. The first tremor was strong with a second lessor tremor over 5 minutes. Our apartment swayed on the 27th floor in Bangkok and you felt dizzy at first then noticed the curtains swaying. Many people evacuated the building.
—Luci Pope, Bangkok
Calm in Banda Aceh
Josh Estey, an NBC contact and aid worker in Banda Aceh, reports that everything is calm. Of course the quake sent locals into a panic when it struck, and many fled inland and to mosques, which are stronger structures. But now most people have returned to their homes.
—Josh Esteym, Banda Aceh
'Gempa bumi'
Around 0020(local time in Malaysia), I felt the tremor which lasted around 3-5 mins. I was sitting on my chair when I felt a slight rocking motion. It was my first time experiencing this. Then I heard my neighbors shouted "gempa bumi" (earthquake) and I too rushed out. The street was lined up with cars on both sides of the roads. The residents from the nearby condominiums also evacuated the buildings. From a distance, the sirens can be heard.
My friend called me from Genting Highland (a hill resort) and she confirmed that the hotels were all evacuated as well.
Even though this time the magnitude (8.2) is lower than the December tsunami earthquake(9.0), it's more widely felt here in Malaysia.
Hopefully everyone is safe. God Bless!
—Wendy, Ampang, Kuala Lumpur.
No sign of a tsunami
Hi. We are in a resort on the east coast of Male Atoll, and nothing yet happened here. Precautions are taken but its three hours now and no sign of a tsunami. Hopefully this is the case for all other places too.
—Ozgur, Maldives
Building swayed
We are living in a condominium of 29th floor in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. Our building was swaying left and right and sent everyone out to the street with panic thought that it was going to collapse. It is still intact luckily. This happened at exactly 0016hrs local time in Malaysia.
—Rory Ko, Johor Bahru, Malaysia
Cars shook
My name is Chris Soong and I'm from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. I felt the tremor at about 12.20am local time. I was sitting at my PC when I felt my monitor as making me dizzy. I shifted in my seat, but then it happened again. I didn't think anything of it until a relative of mine called to say that they felt something as well. They said that their cars were moving slightly. Hopefully there will be no tsunami this time.
—Chris Soong, Kuala Lumpur
Felt as far as Bangkok?
Our office building (25th floor) was shaking in Bangkok. Quite scary!
—Michael, Bangkok, Thailand
I felt tremors
I did not witness the quake specifically at Sumatra, but I'm from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and I felt tremors. I live in a condominium and I felt the building shake. I confirmed it with another friend of mine who lives in Shah Alam. He felt it too..
—Samantha Tham, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Dizzy feeling
I lived in Malaysia and around 12:15am I felt something is not right while I am lying on the bed. My head felt dizzy, then the bed started shaking, kind like swirling movement and lamps fans are swirling up on the ceiling. At first I thought my house structure is falling apart, so I evacuated my family to safe ground. The street lamp and phone pole were shaking. It is a horrible situation. I had never dreamed living in Malaysia I would ever experience the horror of an earthquake.
—TeckJun Lee, Klang, Selangor, Malaysia
Apartments evacuated
Over here in Georgetown, people over in an apartment here evacuated their units for half an hour after almost everyone said that they felt the tremors at 12:10am local time. I rushed down with my mom after we noticed that the aquarium's water was shaking violently.
—Andy Lim, Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia
Tremors felt on Penang Island, Malaysia
Major tremors were felt in Penang Island. It seemed this earthquake was bigger than the Dec 26 one. Flower vases toppled over and pictures dropped from walls in flats here in Farlim Air Itam Penang. It was surprising to find it was only 8.2, as this quake felt bigger than the last one, as the last time only swaying was felt. 911 advised people in hi-rise buildings to evacuate here and stay away from the beaches in the Island of Penang and Penang's Mailand Consession District(Seberang Perai). We hope MSNBC and other world media service will keep us updated as local news has not reported anything here as of now.
—Joe, Penang Island Malaysia
Reports from Singapore
I was working on my laptop and I started swaying. I thought I was too tired and needed rest. Until I realized that it was an Earthquake.
—Isaiah Tay, Singapore
Yes, I did feel the tremors. As I was working on my laptop on my bed, I could feel the bed shaking, and when I tried to see what is going on, the hanging wires from my switch board, were shaking like anything. I have a table fan, at a little distant, and is also has hanging wire, as I connect it only temporary....The wire was shaking as if someone is continuously moving it.
—Sonia Sodhi, Singapore
Extended tremors
Extended tremors felt in Kuala Lumpur — my first experience of an earthquake so I found it difficult to judge — but strong and long enough for me to leave my 31st floor apartment in bare feet... Getting in the lift (bad decision?) and going down, many other residents were also evacuating. We stood around outside and talked over the experience — all of those who had been in KL on December 26th said this felt worse... We spent about an hour outside and I'm now back in my apartment, although from the many cars leaving the car park it was clear that many residents were leaving to stay with friends & families...
—Dennis McGuire
Apartments felt quake
Tremors were felt in the apartment buildings in Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur
—Debbie Lee, Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur