Indonesia - earthquake

Death toll hits 46 amid frantic rescue efforts

Article published on the 2009-09-03 Latest update 2009-09-03 09:04 TU

Rescue workers search for victims in Cikangkareng, South Cianjur, West Java province
(Photo: Reuters)

Rescue teams on Indonesia's Java island on Thursday searched by hand for dozens trapped by a 7.0-magnitude quake that has killed at least 46. Police and soldiers were hunting for those buried in collapsed homes in a village in Cianjur district, south of Jakarta.

"There are 46 people dead and about 42 are still buried in Cianjur. Their chances of surviving are slim," disaster management spokesperson Priyadi Kardono told the AFP news agency.

"So far we are digging them out manually with hoes, but we hope to bring in the heavy machinery soon," he said.

In the village, Cikangkareng, the earthquake caused landslides that stripped hillsides bare and buried homes. Police and rescue workers could be seen scrambling over banks of earth to carry body bags away from the rubble.

"The village is in a valley and the landslide buried a dozen houses about 20 metres under. You can't see the roofs at all, everything is completely buried. The chance of anyone surviving is very, very small," Kardono said.

Thousands of people fled homes, shopping centres and office towers across West Java province and in the capital Jakarta, where high-rise buildings swayed violently for at least a minute just after 3pm local time on Wednesday.

The quake struck less than 200 kilometres south of Jakarta at a depth of 49 kilometres.