Thousands buried under rubble after earthquake in West Sumatra
(October 1, 2009) Thousands of people are buried under debris and feared dead or
seriously injured after a powerful earthquake that struck the coastal region of Padang
in West Sumatra, Indonesia. Rustam Pakaya of the National Relief Centre in the capital
has confirmed a possibly massive death toll. The quake, which occurred in the late
afternoon, measured 7.6 on the Richter scale. The latest news from the capital reports
75 dead and thousands of homes, offices, mosques and other buildings in the district
of Pariaman razed to the ground. The governor of West Sumatra, Gamawan Fauzi, clearly
moved and dazed said: "Thousands of people are buried under the huge pile of rubble
of destroyed buildings". Gawaman Fauzi also said that at first people feared a tsunami,
with many fleeing to higher areas, away from the coast, but the quake did not provoke
any killer waves. Direct communications with the earthquake zone have been interrupted.
The international airport of Padang has suspended some flights for safety, although
it is unclear whether the runway and airport buildings have been damaged. Padang also
lacks energy supplies: the national electricity company has confirmed that several
pylons and power generators have been destroyed.