Indonesia hit by major quake
By CNN
JAKARTA, Indonesia (CNN) — A major earthquake that struck Indonesia Wednesday killed at least 21 people and injured hundreds more, an official said.
Thousands may be trapped by collapsed buildings and houses, said Rustam Pakaya, the head of Ministry of Health’s crisis center.
He said 75 people were heavily injured.
The quake caused widespread power and phone outages, making it difficult to assess the scope of the damage.
It struck at around 5 p.m. local time, about 33 miles (53 kilometers) from Padang, the capital city of West Sumatra. Padang is home to more than 800,000 people.
State-run Antara news agency said the earthquake “killed tens of people and destroyed hundreds of buildings including houses, shopping centers and mosques,” though that report did not cite its sources.
The U.S Geological Survey said the earthquake had a magnitude of 7.6.
The earthquake was felt in nearby cities, such as Medan and Gengkulu, where people panicked and ran outside in search of higher ground, fearing a tsunami.
But it was also felt as far away as Singapore and Malaysia.
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http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/09/30/indonesia.earthquake/index.html
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