The airport on the Thai island of Phuket has been closed, according to a Reuters report, following the 8.7 magnitude earthquake that hit off the coast of Indonesia's Aceh province on Wednesday.

According to Phuketwan.com, the Phuket International Airport, close to the coast, initially paused outgoing flights. Heightening concerns led to a cessation of flights in and out of the airport and a full-scale evacuation.

"We have temporarily closed the airport following the tsunami alert," Reuters quoted Prateung Sornkham, Director at the Phuket International Airport Director, as saying.

All incoming Thai flights from Bangkok tonight have been cancelled. It is believed all flights in and out of Krabi airport have also been stopped. The Phuket airport will re-open at 8 am tomorrow, airport officials said tonight.

Indians residing in Thailand's Phuket Island have been alerted by the Indian High Commission, which has said it is monitoring the situation closely, about the earthquake. In addition, control rooms were being set up by the Indian Mission in Jakarta as well as the Consulate in Medan, according to Economics Times report. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in New Delhi have said they are in contact with Indian missions in that region.

The Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System for Africa and Asia (RIMES) has claimed that only 36cm wave will likely hit the Indian coast.

Tremors were felt in some parts of southern and eastern India - in the states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam West Bengal and in the country's Andaman and Nicobar islands. Tremors were also reported from neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka, Australia, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia.

Officials have now withdrawn the tsunami warning that was issued after the earthquake.

Thailand Earthquake