Across the World: Indonesia

Aid helps quake victims

Foreign medical teams reached further into Indonesia's disaster zone yesterday, treating victims of last week's massive earthquake but also dealing with crowds wanting help for other illnesses.

Like most of Indonesia, West Sumatra had no functioning health system even before the quake and an influx of international aid has prompted all sorts of people to seek help.

Large parts of the provincial capital of Padang and villages in nearby mountains were flattened in the Sept 30 quake or buried by landslides. The official death toll was 704 but could reach into the thousands. Around 180,000 buildings - half of them homes - were severely damaged or flattened, Indonesia's Disaster Management Agency said.

(China Daily 10/08/2009 page9)