Indonesia quake death toll now tops 1,500 - official

YOGYAKARTA, May 27 (Reuters) An earthquake that shook the area around Indonesia's ancient royal city of Yogyakarta today killed at least 1,555, a government official said.

Yogyakarta provincial secretary Bambang Susanto Prihardi said ''yes'' when asked by Elshinta news radio whether the count had reached that number.

Other government and hospital officials said earlier that many people remained buried or trapped under the rubble of collapsed buildings, while more deaths might be going unreported by families keeping and burying the bodies.

Thousands more were injured and have packed hospital grounds, staying outside for fear of aftershocks.

REUTERS SY VC1442