Six dead, dozens injured in Indonesian quakes

JAKARTA: At least six people have been killed in powerful quakes off Indonesia's Sumatra island, but the toll is likely to rise amid poor communications to affected areas, officials said on Thursday.

"Five died in Bengkulu and one in Padang," Rustam Pakaya, head of the health ministry's crisis centre, told AFP, adding that at least 38 were injured and being treated at hospitals in the two coastal towns.

The hardest hit area by an 8.4-magnitude quake that struck yesterday and has been followed by a series of major aftershocks appeared to be North Bengkulu district, he said.

He said a wave 1.5 metres high swept into Sikakap beach, on the island of South Pagai off Sumatra, reaching houses 'but so far we have no reports of human casualties from the incident.'

Health ministry spokeswoman Lilies Sulistyawati said the toll was expected to rise 'as communications with Bengkulu have been difficult.'

She said a team of surgeons were set to leave for Bengkulu and ambulances from Palembang had been dispatched to the coastal city as well.

Sumatra's west coast was hit by a second 7.7-magnitude quake today morning, panicking already frightened survivors.