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Indonesia Earthquake Kills at Least 2,500
By IRWAN FIRDAUS
YOGYAKARTA, Indonesia May 27, 2006 (AP)— A powerful earthquake flattened buildings in central Indonesia early Saturday, killing at least 2,500 people and injuring thousands more in the country's worst disaster since the 2004 tsunami.
The magnitude 6.2 quake struck at 5:54 a.m. near the ancient city of Yogyakarta as many people slept, causing death and damage in many nearby towns. Roads and bridges were destroyed, hindering efforts to get the wounded to hospitals. Some phone lines also were cut.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono ordered the army to help evacuate victims, as panicked residents ran into the smoldering streets, many clutching young children. He said he would head to the disaster zone in Central Java province later Saturday.
Nine hours after the quake struck, the number of dead stood at 2,517, said Direvan, an official in the Social Affairs Ministry's task force office, with two thirds of the fatalities in the devastated district of Bantul.
"The numbers just keep rising," said Arifin Muhadi of the Indonesian Red Cross, adding that nearly 2,900 people were hurt.
YOGYAKARTA, Indonesia May 27, 2006 (AP)— A powerful earthquake flattened buildings in central Indonesia early Saturday, killing at least 2,500 people and injuring thousands more in the country's worst disaster since the 2004 tsunami.
The magnitude 6.2 quake struck at 5:54 a.m. near the ancient city of Yogyakarta as many people slept, causing death and damage in many nearby towns. Roads and bridges were destroyed, hindering efforts to get the wounded to hospitals. Some phone lines also were cut.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono ordered the army to help evacuate victims, as panicked residents ran into the smoldering streets, many clutching young children. He said he would head to the disaster zone in Central Java province later Saturday.
Nine hours after the quake struck, the number of dead stood at 2,517, said Direvan, an official in the Social Affairs Ministry's task force office, with two thirds of the fatalities in the devastated district of Bantul.
"The numbers just keep rising," said Arifin Muhadi of the Indonesian Red Cross, adding that nearly 2,900 people were hurt.
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