Egypt's current account gap narrows, but overall BoP records deficit    Egypt's PM reviews debt reduction strategy, eyes more private investment    Egypt hosts international neurosurgery conference to drive medical innovation    Egypt, India discuss expanding industrial, investment partnerships    World Bank proposes Egypt join new global health initiative    Egypt's EDA discusses Johnson & Johnson's plans to expand investment in local pharmaceutical sector    I won't trade my identity to please market: Douzi    Sisi sends letter to Nigerian president affirming strategic ties    Egypt welcomes 25-nation statement urging end to Gaza war    Egypt, Senegal sign pharma MoU to unify regulatory standards    Egyptian pound ticks down in early Tuesday trading    Famine kills more Gaza children as Israel tightens siege amid global outrage    Kuwait's Crown Prince, Egyptian minister discuss strengthening cooperation    Egyptian Drug Authority discusses plans for joint pharmaceutical plant in Zambia    Egypt's FM seeks deeper economic, security ties on five-nation West Africa tour    Two militants killed in foiled plot to revive 'Hasm' operations: Interior ministry    Egypt foils terrorist plot, kills two militants linked to Hasm group    Egypt, Somalia discuss closer environmental cooperation    Egypt exports 175K tons of food in one week    Giza Pyramids' interior lighting updated with new LED system    Egypt's EHA, Huawei discuss enhanced digital health    Foreign, housing ministers discuss Egypt's role in African development push    Korea Culture Week in Egypt to blend K-Pop with traditional arts    Egypt, Uruguay eager to expand trade across key sectors    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Three ancient rock-cut tombs discovered in Aswan    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Egypt's Irrigation Minister urges scientific cooperation to tackle water scarcity    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    Egypt's Democratic Generation Party Evaluates 84 Candidates Ahead of Parliamentary Vote    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Thousands likely dead in Indonesian quake
Published in Daily News Egypt on 01 - 10 - 2009

PADANG, Indonesia: Indonesia said Thursday it feared thousands had died in a major earthquake as exhausted rescue workers clawed through mountains of rubble with their bare hands in a race to find survivors.
The first flights laden with food, medicine and body bags began arriving in the devastated region on Sumatra island as another powerful quake struck further south, causing more injuries and sparking panic.
Wednesday afternoon s 7.6-magnitude quake toppled buildings and led to fires in Padang, home to nearly a million people on the coast of Sumatra, and saw the city largely without power and communications.
The official death toll hit at least 770 with 294 people seriously injured, but those numbers are expected to soar as the full scale of the tragedy unfolds. Many districts remain inaccessible to emergency services.
Our prediction is that thousands have died, health ministry crisis center head Rustam Pakaya said.
Rescue teams from the Indonesian army and health ministry descended on the city and surrounding towns to hunt for survivors in the twisted wreckage of collapsed buildings and homes, with work expected to go on into the night.
In pouring rain that hampered rescue work early in the day, overwhelmed police and soldiers clawed through the tangled remains of schools, hotels and the city s main M. Djamil hospital.
Padang, which lies between the Indian Ocean and the Bukit Barisan mountains, was a chaotic scene of traffic jams and rubble set against the constant din of sirens as ambulances tried to negotiate the gridlock.
At the M. Djamil hospital, a constant stream of injured residents were dropped off at hastily erected tents where doctors worked frantically to treat victims.
Emilzon, a medic who gave only one name, said they were treating hundreds of people for broken bones, head injuries and trauma, many of whom had accidents when the quake hit.
We are running out of doctors and nurses because we are overwhelmed with patients, he said.
In front of a collapsed school, 49-year-old mother Andriani waited in tears as police picked through the rubble for her 14-year-old daughter and dozens of other children believed trapped inside.
Police said the bodies of eight children had been hauled from the school, a college where they had been taking extra classes, while another nine youngsters had been pulled out alive.
Authorities said they were suffering from a desperate shortage of heavy machinery but the military said planes loaded with tents and blankets had been dispatched to help the thousands left homeless by the disaster.
Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who returned from the United States and flew to Padang, said emergency services should prepare for the worst.
It s better to overestimate than to underestimate, he told reporters. It is better to send more enforcement, especially in emergency aid... which can help those who are still buried in the rubble.
The government said it had approved 26 million dollars in cash to help victims and international aid groups dispatched relief teams.
The quake struck off Sumatra s west coast, 47 kilometres (29 miles) northwest of Padang on a major faultline that scientists have long warned was set to release pent-up energy.
A series of earthquakes in recent years, including one of magnitude 8.2 that struck Bengkulu province in September 2007 and another off Aceh that triggered the Indian Ocean tsunami of December 2004, have released energy along the faultline.


Clic here to read the story from its source.