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PADANG - Aid began to flow to survivors of deadly earthquakes in Indonesia's West Sumatra as rescue teams searched frantically for victims who may still be trapped beneath the rubble of collapsed buildings.
Officials said that between 70 and 100 people were killed by Tuesday's two quakes, which were also felt in neighbouring Singapore and Malaysia, but many more were injured and thousands spent a night in the open, frightened of further tremors.
The disaster management agency in West Sumatra province, where the 6.4 magnitude quake and another measuring 6.3 were centred, put the confirmed death figure at 72.
Thousands of people in Sumatra were camped in tents outside their homes or in open fields.
"We are still helping the victims today and are continuing field operations to work on the ruins of houses," Syamsu Rahim, the mayor of Solok, said.
An official in Padang said that casualty figures were likely to rise because many people were still trapped and the rescue process would have to be done manually as heavy machinery could not reach some areas.
- REUTERS
