SECOND EARTHQUAKE SHAKES INDONESIA

01.10.2009 [14:17]
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Baku, October 1 (AZERTAC). A second powerful earthquake rocked western Indonesia on Thursday as rescuers struggled to reach survivors of the previous day`s temblor, which killed at least 467 people and left thousands trapped under collapsed buildings. The death toll from Wednesday`s undersea quake of 7.6 magnitude was expected to rise further after rescuers dig through the rubble in heavily populated towns of Sumatra island. The second, 6.8-magnitude quake damaged additional buildings Thursday.

"This is a high-scale disaster," Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari told. Padang, a coastal city of 900,000 and capital of West Sumatra province, became the immediate focus of relief workers. At least 500 buildings in Padang collapsed or were badly damaged in the Wednesday evening quake, which also set off fires, said Disaster Management Agency spokesman Priyadi Kardono.

A total of 467 people were confirmed dead and 421 seriously injured, said Tugiyo Bisri of the Social Affairs Ministry`s crisis center. He said 376 deaths occurred in Padang, with rest of the deaths in four surrounding districts.

SECOND EARTHQUAKE SHAKES INDONESIA

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