Sumatra Earthquake Indonesia

[Kiwi]

A powerful earthquake has struck the Indonesian island of Sumatra, killing at least 30 people and flattening hundreds of buildings.


The US Geological Survey said the quake had a magnitude of 6.3, and was centred near the town of Padang. There are fears the death toll may be higher, and one official told the BBC that 59 people had been killed.
The quake struck at 1049 local time (0349 GMT), causing panic among residents in western Sumatra.
Rescue workers confirmed that hundreds of buildings had collapsed, although the BBC's Lucy Williamson in Jakarta says many of these are likely to be small, wooden houses. Telephone and power lines have also been knocked down, cutting electricity to the capital of West Sumatra, Padang.

[Kiwi]

In the West Sumatra provincial capital of Padang, the first quake of magnitude 6.3 sparked panic among seaside residents who feared it might trigger a tsunami. However, there was no immediate tsunami warning.

The United States Geological Survey said its epicentre was around 420km from Singapore.

Some buildings collapsed and several homes and other buildings were badly damaged by the tremors that sent several people scrambling for safety, including 200-300 patients who ran out of a hospital in Padang.

A second 6.0 magnitude earthquake struck the same area just two hours later, sparking fresh panic among residents

[Grant]

Thousands of Indonesians have spent the night in the open after a powerful earthquake which destroyed many homes and left at least 52 people dead.


Many are afraid to return to their homes, while others have no home left. A spokesman for President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono revised the death toll down from 70, as search teams continued to sift through the rubble. The 6.3 magnitude quake struck close to the city of Padang in the west of Sumatra island on Tuesday morning.