INDONESIA: Sumatrans pick up the pieces after another powerful earthquake

Residents of quake-stricken Sumatra in Indonesia sift through the rubble of their damaged homes and begin reconstruction efforts. Frightened residents on Indonesia's Sumatra island huddled in tents outside their damaged homes on Friday (September 14), traumatised by the latest of more than 40 aftershocks since a massive earthquake struck two days ago. The powerful 8.4 magnitude earthquake on Wednesday (September 12) toppled hundreds of buildings, killing at least 13 and burying many others. On Friday Indonesia's meteorology agency issued the latest in a series of tsunami warnings after a 6.9 scale quake 153km (95 miles) southwest of Lais Bengkulu. The epicentre was at a depth of 10km (6 miles). Afterwards locals began sifting through the rubble, trying to put back the pieces of their lives. Bambang Anwar, a resident whose house was damaged, appealed for donations and aid to help rebuild their homes and businesses. Wednesday's quake took place on the eve of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, and was felt in neighbouring Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. A seismologist said the region was lucky to have escaped a tsunami similar to the one that killed more than 280,000 people in 2004. Hercules planes carrying emergency aid continue to fly relief to the affected areas. Indonesia suffers frequent quakes, as it lies on an active seismic belt on the so-called Pacific "Ring of Fire".

ITN Source | September 14, 2007

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