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Indonesia's quake death toll likely to exceed 1,000
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-10-12 20:10

JAKARTA: The death toll from the 7.9-magnitude quake in Indoensia's West Sumatra province may rise to more than 1,000 people, local Disaster Management Agency said on Monday.

Sudirman Gani, head of the agency, told Xinhua over phone that rescuers have recovered 809 bodies and predicted that 241 others trapped in the debris could have been dead.

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"There is a small possibility that the 241 missing persons are still alive as they have been buried under the rubble for over 10 days," he said.

All the dead and the missing have accounted for 1,241 people. This figure is in line with the United Nations prediction of more than 1,000 deaths.

Gani said the quake seriously inured 831 people and caused 1, 366 others injured.

Disaster Management Agency in Jakarta has distributed $1 million additional financial aid to the province.