The National Centre of Studied and Monitoring Volcanoes and Earthquakes in Yemen has warned residents and fishermen in the Eastern coasts and Yemeni islands of Tsunami to occur in the upcoming hours as a result of a earthquake that hit Indonesia on Wednesday morning.
The Yemeni News Agency (Saba) quoted deputy chairman of the centre Saleh Al-Maflahi as saying that the earthquake that hit Indonesia could reach some eastern coasts after approximately seven hours.
The Yemeni Health ministers called on doctors to attend hospitals and health centers in anticipation of any disasters.
A statement issued by the Pacific tsunami warning center (PTWC) named Yemen, Oman and UAE among the countries that could be hit this evening if a tsunami does result from the earthquake.
PTCW stated that the tsunami will hit Yemeni port Aden at 5.26pm, Omani capital Muscat at 3.40pm local time and Fujairah in the UAE at 4.21pm. The PTWC clarified that it was not certain that the earthquake would cause a tsunami.
The statement further cited that earthquakes of this size have the potential to generate a widespread destructive tsunami that can affect coastlines across the entire Indian Ocean basin.
It added that the bulletin was only issued as advice to government agencies, and individual responses were up to national and local government agencies. The UAE's national centre of meteorology and seismology did not immediately respond to the press inquiries for comment.
This alert was issued after a 8,7 magnitude earthquake hit the West Coast of Northern Sumatra, Indonesia Wednesday. An after shock measured 8.2 was recorded hours later.