Villagers play it safe even after tsunami alert was lifted

ALOR SETAR: The 1,000 residents of five villages in Kota Kuala Muda near Sungai Petani have returned home after the tsunami alert, following a 8.6-magnitude earthquake off the western coast of Sumatra, was lifted.

Some residents decided to play it safe and go back only several hours after the alert was lifted at 8.36pm on Wednesday. The tsunami in 2004 was still fresh in their minds.