NAIROBI, Dec. 29 (Xinhuanet) -- The Meteorological Department of Kenya Tuesday lifted the warning and alert issued following the tidal wave tragedy along the country's east coastal region, Kenya Times reported on Wednesday.

    In a press release signed by Director Joseph R. Mukabana, the department declared the beach area is now out of danger and accessible, the report said, adding that authorities and disaster managers have been urged to assess damage and offer necessary relief.

    However, water-borne epidemics were likely to emanate due to contamination of drinking and swimming water in the affected area, Mukabana was quoted as saying.

    Kenya suffered a severe blow Sunday as the effect of the undersea Sumatra earthquake hit the east African coast. Earlier reports said one person was killed, several others injured and many boats destroyed at the coast.

    Kenyan marine experts had attributed the tidal wave to the Sumatra earthquake, the Daily Nation newspaper quoted an official from the Kenya Ports Authority as saying.

    A huge tide came from the east toward the west, which is abnormal because in the Indian Ocean, tidal waves normally go the other way, said the official.

    An earthquake measuring 8.7 on the Richter Scale was registered Sunday west of the island of Sumatra, triggering tsunamis, or tidal waves, in south and southeast Asia.

    About 60,000 people in Sri Lanka, India, Indonesia, Bangladesh,Maldives, Thailand and Malaysia have been killed in the disaster.

Enditem