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More than 70 aftershocks hit quake area

DENVER, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- The massive earthquake that struck the Indian Ocean off the Indonesian island of Sumatra on Sunday has produced 72 aftershocks so far, U.S. scientists report.

Following the main earthquake, which registered a 9.2 magnitude on the Richter scale -- and making it the largest quake on Earth since the same-magnitude event that hit southern Alaska in 1964 -- that area of the Indian Ocean has experienced quakes ranging from magnitude 4.4 to magnitude 7.1, the latter of which would have been considered a significant event if the giant temblor had not occurred.

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The U.S. National Earthquake Data Center said the smaller quakes have occurred not only near the site of the original quake, but also to the northwest, near the Nicobar and Andaman islands, which are the territories of India.

The shockwave and seismic displacement of Sunday's quake actually caused a jolt in Earth's rotation, thereby slowing each day by 3 microseconds, scientists said.

The aftershocks are expected to continue in decreasing intensity for the next several days.

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