KUALA LUMPUR, Dec. 26 (Xinhuanet) -- Malaysian Police confirmed that five people were killed by a tsunami tidal wave that struck the coast in Penang following a powerful earthquake in the north of the Indonesian island of Sumatra Sunday morning.

    Penang State police deputy chief Mohd Ali Mohd Yusof told localreporters that the bodies of two men and three women were found at popular Batu Ferringhi beach. The victims were swimming off the beach when the wave hit.

    "So far, we have five dead while 30 are injured in the tidal wave incident," he said.

    He said further information on the victims would be released later.

    Rescuers were continuing the search for other possible victims,he added.

    Mohd Ali advised the public to stay away from beaches on the island and fishermen not to go out to sea until it was definitely safe to do so.

    The police were monitoring the situation with the assistance ofthe Meteorological Services Department, he said.

    An official of the department said two tidal waves struck Penang coasts Sunday -- the first at 9 AM and again at noon.

    He said the waves were estimated at four to five meters high. "The sea is still rough," he said.

    The US Geological Survey early Sunday revised the magnitude of an earthquake registered west of the Indonesian island of Sumatra upward to 8.9 on the Richter scale. Enditem