The Centre withdrew its tsunami warning early on Tuesday and said it was safe for coastal residents to return to their homes.

This notice came nearly five hours after a massive earthquake struck off the Indonesian coast triggering fears of a possible tsunami hitting the Indian Ocean region.

However, authorities in coastal states and in the Andaman and Nicobar islands are to continue to keep a watch as a precautionary measure though no unusual wave activity or shifts in sea level were reported anywhere along the coast.

Four hours after the earthquake, no unusual sea conditions had been reported from Port Blair and Chennai, S K Swami, director, Disaster Management, said in a message.

The earthquake does not appear to have generated tsunamis over the Indian region and in view of this the advice issued earlier by Indian Meteorological Department regarding possibility of tsunami stands cancelled," the message said.

"...The possibility of danger has passed and people may go back to their homes wherever they have moved on their own or at places moved by the administration," read the message issued to Chief Secretaries of Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu, Kerala [Images], Karnataka, Andaman and Nicobar islands and Lakshadweep.

The Ministry of Home Affairs was continuing to monitor the situation, it added.