Evidence of 4m Tsunami on Simeulue after quake

CANBERRA - A four-metre tsunami wave hit the Indonesian island of Simeulue after the Easter Monday earthquake, aid agency SurfAid International reported today.

Seismologists had expressed surprise that the quake, which has claimed the lives of at least 600 people across islands west of Sumatra, did not cause a tsunami.

But Brian "Willy" Williams, an Australian who runs a surf camp on the south-west coast of the island, told SurfAid International the beach near his house at Gusong Bay, as well as points north, had been hit by a tsunami.

Mr Williams said the beach, which was 3m wide, was now 30m wide and reefs that were underwater were now above water.

He said he would never forget the sight of the wave "steaming in through the bay".

"A white fence of fire ... sounded like many buffalos running," he described it to the agency.

Three waves of diminishing size and destruction hit the coast, sending locals running to the hills.

The West Sumatra International Tsunami Survey Team was expected to arrive on Nias tomorrow to make direct measurements of the tsunami.

- AAP