[magician]

holy shit.

just got a tsunami warning from the AMEMB-Bangkok.

Attention American Citizens: The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii has issued the following bulletin regarding an earthquake that occurred off the coast of Indonesia. The U.S. Embassy has received no indications of a tsunami in Thailand at this time. However, Thai authorities have issued a tsunami warning and are alerting coastal residents and hotels of the possibility of a tsunami in the Andaman Sea area.
The U.S. Embassy urges all Americans to exercise appropriate caution and to monitor local media for additional details.
The U.S. Embassy Consular Section is located at 95 Wireless Road, Bangkok 10330, Thailand (Nearest BTS Skytrain station: Phloen Chit)
American Citizen Services Unit Window Hours:
Monday - Friday, 7:30 - 11 AM and 1 - 2 PM
Note: The ACS unit is CLOSED on the last Friday of every month.
Tel: +66-2-205-4049 Fax: +66-2-205-4103
E-mail: acsbkk@state.gov <mailto:acsbkk@state.gov>

AN EARTHQUAKE HAS OCCURRED WITH THESE PRELIMINARY PARAMETERS

ORIGIN TIME - 1610Z 28 MAR 2005
COORDINATES - 2.3 NORTH 97.1 EAST
LOCATION - NORTHERN SUMATERA INDONESIA
MAGNITUDE - 8.5

EVALUATION


WARNING... THIS EARTHQUAKE HAS THE POTENTIAL TO GENERATE A WIDELY
DESTRUCTIVE TSUNAMI IN THE OCEAN OR SEAS NEAR THE EARTHQUAKE.
AUTHORITIES IN THOSE REGIONS SHOULD BE AWARE OF THIS POSSIBILITY
AND TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION. THIS ACTION SHOULD INCLUDE EVACUATION
OF COASTS WITHIN A THOUSAND KILOMETERS OF THE EPICENTER AND CLOSE
MONITORING TO DETERMINE THE NEED FOR EVACUATION FURTHER AWAY.

THIS CENTER DOES NOT HAVE SEA LEVEL GAUGES OUTSIDE THE PACIFIC
SO WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DETECT OR MEASURE A TSUNAMI IF ONE WAS
GENERATED. AUTHORITIES CAN ASSUME THE DANGER HAS PASSED IF NO
TSUNAMI WAVES ARE OBSERVED IN THE REGION NEAR THE EPICENTER
WITHIN THREE HOURS OF THE EARTHQUAKE.

an 8.5 is no freakin' joke.

shit. People are going to freak out here.