Wednesday's 8.6 magnitude earthquake and subsequent aftershocks off the coast of Indonesia put Southeast Asia on high alert-- luckily, it was for a tsunami that never came.<br/> <br />In Sri Lanka a fully functioning disaster management centre worked to alert the masses.<br/> <br />(SOUNDBITE) (Sinhala) SARATH LALKUMARA , THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR (MEDIA) OF THE DISASTER MANAGEMENT CENTRE SAYING:<br/> <br />"We were informed at 2:27. Within five minutes all the warning towers along the coast were operational. That was the start of taking people to safe areas."<br/> <br />Nearly 30,000 people were killed in this region alone, when a wall of water engulfed the coastline in 2004.<br/> <br />But by Thursday morning, it was business as usual for most residents.<br/> <br />By daybreak in Banda Aceh, Sumatra, the province closest to epicenter, residents say most of their fears had subsided.<br/> <br />And while alerts from regional emergency centers did help move people to safety, the fact remains, there was no tsunami.<br/> <br />Officials hope the incident can serve to further improve emergency conditions.<br/> <br />Julie Noce, Reuters
