The New York Times sums things up:
Two powerful earthquakes struck about two hours apart off the coast of Sumatra on Wednesday afternoon, spreading panic among residents of the Indonesian island and reviving memories of the devastating 2004 earthquake and tsunami in the same area.
There were no reports of casualties or significant damage, and the tsunami warnings that were widely broadcast on television, cellphones and the Internet were called off again a few hours later.
The first quake, whose magnitude was measured at 8.6 by the United States Geological Survey, was centered about 200 miles offshore and was felt across a large area. Tremors were felt in Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand as well as Indonesia. The second quake, measured at 8.2, was somewhat farther offshore.
Though the quakes did not ultimately cause a tsunami, they tested the region’s tsunami warning systems, as residents fled coastal areas for higher ground. In Banda Aceh, at the northern end of Sumatra, the hurried, spontaneous evacuation came after several minutes of heavy shaking.
The Bangkok Post also has a story, as does The Nation.
Meanwhile, on a related note, the AP reports today that:
KFC Thailand has issued an apology after being criticized for a Facebook message that urged people to rush home during Wednesday’s tsunami scare and order a bucket of KFC chicken.
As people were being urged to evacuate from beach areas, the company posted this message: “Let’s hurry home and follow the earthquake news. And don’t forget to order your favorite KFC menu.”
(All emphasis mine.)