Indonesia quake kills thousands, flattens homes

YOGYAKARTA, Indonesia, May 27: A powerful earthquake that shook Indonesia's royal city of Yogyakarta today killed nearly 3,000 people as houses and government buildings collapsed near ancient heritage sites in the area.

As darkness fell in the heartland of Indonesia's main island of Java, thousands were preparing to spend the night outside their ruined homes or on the grounds of mosques, churches and schools.

''It's pitch dark. We have to use candles and we are sitting outside now. We are too scared to sleep inside. The radio keeps saying there will be more quakes. We still feel the tremors,'' said Tjut Nariman, who lives on the outskirts of Yogyakarta.

The 6.2 magnitude quake struck just after dawn and was the third major tremor to devastate the impoverished country in 18 months the worst being the Boxing Day quake and resulting tsunami in 2004 which left some 170,000 people dead or missing around Aceh.

Many bodies were still buried under rubble as Indonesian authorities struggled to get aid into the devastated region.

Several countries offered aid in the form of medical relief teams and emergency supplies.

Sitting with his wife and three children outside his wrecked house in Kembang Songo village, Sarmiji, 44, told Reuters he had received no aid so far. ''Everything is destroyed here. My house is in ruins, all houses are ruined ... I have a neighbour whose 11 family members were killed instantly,'' he said.

The Social Affairs Ministry's disaster task force in Jakarta said the count of the dead had reached 2,808 as of late Saturday.

Near Sarmiji's flattened house several bodies lay among the wreckage. Hundreds of villagers sat outside ruined homes looking dazed and confused.

Power and telephone services were out in many areas.

FEAR Sopar, an official from the national coordinating body for disaster in Jakarta, said: ''We will send logistics tomorrow to the affected areas ... such as food, blankets, sarongs, tents, generators. Also we will send tents.''

The epicentre of the quake, which struck just before 6 a m 0430 hrs Ist, was offshore. There was widespread panic as many feared the quake would be followed by a tsunami. Scores fled their coastal homes for higher ground. In the end there was no tsunami, but the fear lingered on into the night.

''What is unbeliev able is the people talk about tsunami. People are saying water is approaching ... People living on Merapi are also coming down because of rumours the volcano is erupting,'' said Tjut Nariman.

Yogyakarta stands near Mount Merapi, a volcano on top alert for a major eruption this month. A vulcanologist said the quake was not caused by the volcano, but its activity increased after the shock.

Krisdan, a resident living on the slopes of the volcano, said that when the quake hit, ''I was cleaning house. All of a sudden there was a big jolt and sounds of thunder. We ran outside.'' Yogyakarta is about 25 km north of the Indian Ocean coast and 440 km east of Jakarta.

Subagyo, an official at the Meteorology office in Jakarta, said at least 45 aftershocks were recorded. ''Four aftershocks were quite strong. People who were still traumatised by the first quake were running away from their homes.'' BOROBUDUR INTACT Witnesses said thousands of houses, as well as offices and government buildings were destroyed.

One staff member at a hotel opposite Borobudur temple told Reuters the ancient Buddhist complex was totally intact with no signs of damage, although several structures nearby collapsed.

Yogyakarta's royal palaces and the nearby Borobudur temple complex are prime attractions for domestic and foreign tourists.

Another tourist site, the Prambanan Hindu temple complex near Jakarta, suffered some damage to its smaller structures but the main building was intact, a Reuters witness said.

Indonesia sits on the Asia-Pacific's so-called ''Ring of Fire'' marked by heavy volcanic and tectonic activity.

Its Aceh province was hardest hit by the December 2004 Indian Ocean quake and tsunami. A major quake in March 2005 killed about 1,000 people on Nias island and nearby areas off Sumatra.

Transport Minister Hatta Rajasa said Yogyakarta's airport was closed due to a damaged runway.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, visiting to survey the damage, told officials in hard-hit Bantul: ''Give priority on providing treatment and medication, especially for those who suffer from serious injuries ... evacuation and funerals.'' Health Minister Siti Fadillah Supari said medical teams had been sent to the hardest-hit areas. The European Union, the United States, Japan and UNICEF were among those announcing plans for immediate aid.

REUTERS