Local authorities in Indonesia's West Sumatra have appealed to residents near the coast to keep away from the shore.

The appeal was made via radio in the early hours of Tuesday morning on April 25 (local time) in Kota Padang after a 7.3-magnitude earthquake struck west of Sumatra Island at around 0300, triggering a tsunami warning.

A disaster preparedness officer for the West Sumatra region known only by the single name Ilham said: "Until now the government has only received reports that almost all residents of the Mentawai islands [150km west of Sumatra] have fled to high places. We have not received any reports regarding the number of victims and damaged buildings,"

The tsunami warning has since been lifted, according to reports.

West Sumatra's regional disaster management agency appealed to all residents near the coast to stay away.

The call was conveyed via radio and dispatched a road team to convey immediate death by the beach, after an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.3 Magnetudo rocked the Mentawai Islands at 03.00 in the morning. Until now, recorded aftershocks have occurred hundreds of times.

Ilham, a disaster preparedness officer for the West Sumatra region, said "until now the government has only received reports that almost all residents of the Mentawai islands have fled to high places such as hills, and other areas have been advised to stay away from the coast, we have not received any reports regarding the number of victims and damaged buildings,"