MEUREUDU, Indonesia—Humanitarian organizations descended on Indonesia’s Aceh province on Thursday, as the government in Jakarta promised tons of emergency aid and officials raced to assess the full extent of damage from an earthquake that killed more than 100 people.

Search efforts involving volunteers and nearly 1,500 rescue personnel were concentrated on the hard-hit town of Meureudu in Pidie Jaya district near the epicenter of the 6.5-quake magnitude that hit before dawn on Wednesday. Humanitarian-assessment teams were fanning out to other areas of the district.

National Disaster Mitigation Agency Spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said the death toll had risen to 102 and warned it could increase. Search teams were using devices that detect mobile phone signals with a 100-meter radius to help guide their efforts as they scoured the rubble, he said. Aceh’s disaster-mitigation agency said more than 600 people were injured.

Thousands of people are homeless or afraid to return to their homes. Aceh officials said more than 8,000 people spent Wednesday night in shelters in Pidie Jaya district alone.

Killer quakes occur regularly in the region, where many live with the terrifying memory of a giant December 26, 2004, earthquake that struck off Sumatra. The 9.1- magnitude quake triggered a devastating tsunami that killed more than 100,000 Acehnese.

The Indonesian government said its urgent aid would be flown out of Jakarta early Thursday afternoon and will include 10 generators, tents, folding beds, baby supplies and body bags.

The military is setting up an emergency field hospital and sending two dozen doctors, and the Health Ministry is deploying a medical team and sending medicines. The Red Cross sent aid such as water trucks on Wednesday and humanitarian group CARE is leading an assessment team of four international aid groups to avoid duplication of efforts.

“Every aid and civil-society organization is piling into the area with as many boxes of rice, instant noodles, blankets and other aid as they can shift,” said Paul Dillon, a spokesman for the International Organization for Migration, which has an assessment team in northern Aceh.

It will take at least two more days before there’s a fuller picture of how many people are displaced and the relief effort required, he said.

The US Geological Survey said the earthquake was centered about 19 kilometers southeast of Sigli, a town near the northern tip of Sumatra, at a depth of 17 kilometers. The agency had initially placed the epicenter undersea. It did not generate a tsunami. As of 9 a.m. on Thursday, some 36 aftershocks had rattled the area.

The world’s largest archipelago, Indonesia is prone to earthquakes due to its location on the Pacific Ring of Fire, an arc of volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific Basin. The 2004 quake and tsunami killed a total of 230,000 people in a dozen countries, most of them in Aceh.

John Ebel, professor of earth and environmental sciences at Boston College, said there is a risk that even weak aftershocks could cause further damage to buildings, particularly because modern building codes aren’t consistently enforced in Indonesia.

Scores of rescuers were crawling over a market in Meureudu, the hard-hit town, where many shop houses collapsed.

One shop owner, Hajj Yusri Abdullah, didn’t hold out much hope of finding survivors. He said nearly two dozen bodies were pulled from the market debris the day before. They included a group of eight made up of a newlywed couple and family members holding an ornate celebration known as Antar Dara Baro.

Siti Rukiah, a mother of four, was among the many people who took refuge for the night in local mosques. She and about 100 other people from Pante Raja, a seaside village, fled to Nur Abdullah Mosque located on higher ground in a nearby hamlet.

She said the quake felt so powerful she had to grab onto a table to keep from falling down. She was sure a tsunami was coming.

“I’m really scared about a tsunami,” said Rukiah, whose brother and neighbors died in the 2004 disaster. She said she didn’t want to return home “not only because my house is damaged, but I am still afraid an aftershock could cause a tsunami.”

The national disaster agency said nearly 600 buildings were severely damaged or destroyed in the districts of Pidie Jaya, Pidie and Bireun. Most were shop houses or dwellings but mosques, a hospital, boarding schools and a shopping center also sustained damage. Roads also cracked and power poles toppled over.</s>MEUREUDU, Indonesia — Thousands of people in the Indonesian province of Aceh took refuge for the night in mosques and temporary shelters after a strong earthquake Wednesday killed nearly 100 people and destroyed dozens of buildings.

Some were homeless after the quake made their houses unsafe, and others were too scared to return home. Killer quakes occur regularly in the region, where many live with the terrifying memory of a giant Dec. 26, 2004, earthquake that struck off Sumatra. The magnitude-9.1 quake triggered a devastating tsunami that killed more than 100,000 Acehnese.

Maj. Gen. Tatang Sulaiman, chief of the army in Aceh province, said at least 97 died in the magnitude-6.5 quake that hit before dawn Wednesday, while four people had been pulled from the rubble alive. The Indonesian government declared a two-week emergency period in Aceh and some aid was already reaching hard-hit areas.

The rescue effort involving thousands of search officials, villagers, soldiers and police is concentrated on Meureudu, a severely affected town in Pidie Jaya district near the epicenter. Excavators and rescue teams removed debris from shop houses and other buildings where people were believed buried.

TV footage showed rescuers in orange uniforms shining flashlights into the interiors of broken buildings as they searched for signs of life. The pace of the search slowed after night fall, hampered by rain and blackouts.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the earthquake was centered about 12 miles southeast of Sigli, a town near the northern tip of Sumatra, at a depth of 11 miles. The agency had initially placed the epicenter undersea. It did not generate a tsunami.

Siti Rukiah, 51, a mother of four, was among the many people taking refuge in local mosques. She and about 100 other people from Pante Raja, a seaside village in Pidie Jaya district, fled to Nur Abdullah mosque located on higher ground in a nearby hamlet.

She said the quake was shallow and felt so powerful she had to grab onto a table to keep from falling down. She was sure a tsunami was coming.

"I'm really scared about a tsunami," said Rukiah, whose brother and neighbors died in the 2004 disaster. "I don't want to return home tonight, not only because my house is damaged, but I am still afraid an aftershock could cause a tsunami."

Aceh's disaster mitigation agency said more than 600 people were injured. The national disaster agency said about 245 buildings were seriously damaged or destroyed in Pidie Jaya and neighboring Bireuen district, including 14 mosques. The rest were mainly dwellings and shop houses. Roads also cracked and power poles toppled over.

The world's largest archipelago, Indonesia is prone to earthquakes due to its location on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," an arc of volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific Basin. The 2004 quake and tsunami killed a total of 230,000 people in a dozen countries, most of them in Aceh.</s>Nearly 100 people were killed and hundreds injured when a strong earthquake hit Indonesia's Aceh province. Medical volunteers rushed in fading evening light to get people to hospitals, which were straining to cope with the influx of injured.</s>MEUREUDU, Indonesia (AP) — Thousands of people in the Indonesian province of Aceh took refuge for the night in mosques and temporary shelters after a strong earthquake today killed nearly 100 people and destroyed dozens of buildings.

Some were homeless after the quake made their houses unsafe and others were too scared to return home. Killer quakes occur regularly in the region, where many live with the terrifying memory of a giant Dec. 26, 2004, earthquake that struck off Sumatra. The magnitude-9.1 quake triggered a devastating tsunami that killed more than 100,000 Acehnese.

Maj. Gen. Tatang Sulaiman, chief of the army in Aceh province, said at least 97 died in the magnitude-6.5 quake that hit before dawn, while four people had been pulled from the rubble alive. The Indonesian government declared a two-week emergency period in Aceh and some aid was already reaching hard-hit areas.

The rescue effort involving thousands of search officials, villagers, soldiers and police is concentrated on Meureudu, a severely affected town in Pidie Jaya district near the epicenter. Excavators and rescue teams removed debris from shop houses and other buildings where people were believed buried.

TV footage showed rescuers in orange uniforms shining flashlights into the interiors of broken buildings as they searched for signs of life. The pace of the search slowed after night fall, hampered by rain and blackouts.</s>At least 97 people were killed, including young children, and 73 seriously injured, Maj. Gen. Tatang Sulaiman told CNN.

The shallow 6.5-magnitude quake damaged homes, shops and mosques in the district of Pidie Jaya, completely destroying hundreds of structures.

Additional medical personnel have gone to the region after the Pidie Jaya hospital was damaged in the quake, which struck as residents were preparing for early morning prayers.

'We have to move so fast to save them'

Speaking in Jakarta, National Board for Disaster Management spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said the death toll could still rise. "Now our priority is the search and rescue operation. We have to move so fast to save them," Sutopo said. A mosque minaret is left collapsed after an earthquake struck Wednesday in Aceh province. Indonesian President Joko Widodo ordered immediate assistance to be sent to Aceh in the wake of the earthquake. In a statement, the International Organization for Migration said it had deployed two staff members to help coordinate assistance. "They'll be our eyes and ears on the ground and be able to give us a much clearer picture of what the (needs)are," Peter Kern, the organization's disaster preparedness project manager. Rescuers carry the body of an earthquake victim in Pidie Jaya, Aceh province, on Indonesia's Sumatra island, Wednesday, December 7. Dozens are confirmed dead and many others feared trapped under rubble, after the 6.5-magnitude quake leveled buildings in the region. Men inspect a mosque that collapsed during the quake, which hit just as people were preparing for their morning prayers on December 7. Rescuers use heavy machinery to search for potential survivors under the rubble of a collapsed building in Pidie Jaya. Medical personnel and family members transport a woman who was injured in the quake. Rescuers remove the body of an earthquake victim from the site of a collapsed building in Pidie Jaya. A family reacts to the death of a relative who was killed in the quake. At least 70 people remained seriously injured on Wednesday evening. A man throws a box of food he removed from the rubble of a building. Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) volunteers cover the bodies of victims at a hospital morgue. Additional medical workers had to be flown in after a local hospital was damaged in the quake. Two women are reflected in the mirror of a motorbike parked near a damaged building in Pidie Jaya. No tsunami warnings or advisories were issued. The quake's epicenter was 12 miles (19 kilometers) southeast of the town of Sigli in Aceh province. Despite the lack of a tsunami warning, Sutopo said some residents fled to safety in the hills after the quake. "They are still traumatized by the last big earthquake and tsunami in 2004 ," he said. The 2004 disaster killed more than 80,000 people after a tsunami swept across the Indonesian region, leaving millions homeless. Rescue workers pull victims from destroyed buildings Wednesday in the town of Sigli. Large earthquakes are relatively common in Indonesia, which sits on the infamous Ring of Fire, a set of fault lines that circle the Pacific Basin. Wednesday's earthquake is Indonesia's second major temblor this year and the most severe yet. Women stand next to relatives who were killed in Wednesday's earthquake. In March, a magnitude-7.8 quake struck off the southwestern coast of Sumatra , but despite initial warnings, no tsunamis or deaths were registered as a result.</s>A strong undersea earthquake rocked Indonesia’s Aceh province early yesterday, killing dozens of people and sparking a frantic rescue effort in the rubble of dozens of collapsed and damaged buildings.

Major General Tatang Sulaiman, chief of the army in Aceh province, said at least 97 people had died while four others were pulled from the rubble alive. Another four or five were still believed to be buried, but it was not known if they were dead or alive.

“Hopefully we would be able to finish the evacuation from the rubble before sunset,” said Major General Sulaiman.

The rescue effort involving thousands of villagers, soldiers and police was concentrated on Meureudu, a severely affected town in Pidie Jaya district. Excavators were trying to remove debris from shop houses and other buildings where people were believed to have been buried. TV footage showed rescuers in orange uniforms shining torches inside broken buildings as they searched for signs of life.

The National Disaster Mitigation Agency said 273 people were injured, about a quarter of them seriously.

Some 245 buildings were seriously damaged or destroyed, mostly in Pidie Jaya, including 14 mosques. The remainder were largely dwellings and shops. Roads also cracked and power poles toppled over.

Aiyub Abbas, the chief of Pidie Jaya district, which is 11 miles south-west of the epicentre, said there was urgent need for excavation equipment to move heavy debris and emergency supplies. Footage showed rescue personnel taking bodies in black bags away from the rubble.

The US Geological Survey said the shallow 6.5 magnitude earthquake which struck at 5:03am local time was centred about 12 miles south-east of Sigli, a town on the northern tip of Aceh, at a depth of 11 miles. It did not generate a tsunami.

For Acehnese, the quake was a terrifying reminder of their region’s vulnerability to natural disasters. More than 100,000 died in Aceh after the earthquake on 26 December, 2004 triggered a devastating tsunami.

“It was very bad, the tremors felt even stronger than 2004 earthquake,” said Musman Aziz, a Meureudu resident. “I was so scared the tsunami was coming.”

In the capital, Jakarta, president Joko “Jokowi” Widodo said he has ordered all government agencies to take part in the rescue efforts. The Red Cross Indonesia has deployed emergency response teams and advertised bank accounts for donations. The International Organisation for Migration said it had sent an assessment team to Aceh.

Seaside resident Fitri Abidin in Pidie Jaya said she fled with her husband and children to a nearby hill after the quake jolted the family awake early in the morning.

They stayed there for several hours until authorities reassured them there was no tsunami risk.

“It terrified me. I was having difficulty breathing or walking,” said Ms Abidin.

She said her husband grabbed hold of her and carried her out of the house.

The family’s home did not collapse but some neighbours’ properties did and Ms Abidin is afraid that three friends were buried in building collapses.

In Pidie Jaya’s neighbouring district of Bireuen, a teacher at an Islamic building school died after being hit by falling debris, said health worker Achmad Taufiq.

Residents of the nearby town of Lhokseumawe ran out of their houses in panic during the quake and many people fled to higher ground.

Indonesia is prone to earthquakes due to its location on the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, an arc of volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific Basin.</s>MEUREUDU, Indonesia — A strong earthquake rocked Indonesia’s Aceh province early Wednesday, killing nearly 100 people and sparking a frantic rescue effort in the rubble of dozens of collapsed and damaged buildings.

Maj. Gen. Tatang Sulaiman, chief of the army in Aceh province, said at least 97 died while four people were pulled from the rubble alive. Another four or five are known to be buried, but he didn’t say if they were dead or alive.

The rescue effort involving thousands of search officials, villagers, soldiers and police is concentrated on Meureudu, a severely affected town in Pidie Jaya district near the epicenter. Excavators were trying to remove debris from shop houses and other buildings where people were believed buried. TV footage showed rescuers in orange uniforms shining flashlights into the interiors of broken buildings as they searched for signs of life.

The province’s disaster mitigation agency said more than 600 people were injured. The national disaster agency said some 245 buildings were seriously damaged or destroyed, mostly in Pidie Jaya, including 14 mosques. The rest were mainly dwellings and shop houses. Roads also cracked and power poles toppled over.



 A boy sits on the rubble of a building that collapsed after an earthquake as he takes shelter from the sun in Pidie Jaya, Aceh province, Indonesia, Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2016. A strong undersea earthquake rocked Indonesia's Aceh province early on Wednesday, killing a number of people and causing dozens of buildings to collapse. (AP Photo/Heri Juanda)

The U.S. Geological Survey said the 6.5-magnitude earthquake struck at 5:03 a.m. and was centred about 19 kilometres (12 miles) southeast of Sigli, a town near the northern tip of Aceh, at a depth of 17 kilometres (11 miles). The agency had initially placed the epicenter undersea. It did not generate a tsunami.

For Acehnese, the quake was a terrifying reminder of their region’s vulnerability to natural disasters. More than 100,000 died in Aceh after a Dec. 26, 2004, earthquake triggered a devastating tsunami.

“It was very bad, the tremors felt even stronger than the 2004 earthquake,” said Musman Aziz, a Meureudu resident. “I was so scared the tsunami was coming.”

Aiyub Abbas, the chief of Pidie Jaya district, said there was urgent need for emergency supplies and excavation equipment to move heavy debris. Footage showed rescue personnel taking bodies in black bags away from the rubble.



 Rescuers use heavy machines to search for survivors under the rubble of a collapsed building after an earthquake in Pidie Jaya, Aceh province, Indonesia, Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2016. (AP Photo/Heri Juanda)

Muhammad Reza Faisal, director of the general hospital in Pidie Jaya, said the facility was overwhelmed with the numbers of injured and many people were being treated in tents pitched on its grounds. He said five of the quake victims died at the hospital.

In the capital, Jakarta, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo said he had ordered all government agencies to take part in the rescue efforts for Aceh, a conservative province that has considerable autonomy from the central government under a peace deal with separatists.

The Red Cross Indonesia deployed emergency response teams and advertised bank accounts for donations. The International Organization for Migration said it sent an assessment team to Aceh.

Seaside resident Fitri Abidin in Pidie Jaya said she fled with her husband and wailing children to a nearby hill after the quake jolted the family awake. They stayed there for several hours until authorities reassured them there was no tsunami risk.



 Rescuers recover the body of a victim of an earthquake under the rubble of a collapsed building in Pidie Jaya, Aceh province, Indonesia, Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2016. (AP Photo/Heri Juanda)

“It terrified me. I was having difficulty breathing or walking,” Abidin said.

She said her husband grabbed hold of her and carried her out of the house.

The family’s house didn’t collapse but the homes of some neighbours did and Abidin is afraid three friends were buried in the rubble.

In Pidie Jaya’s neighbouring district of Bireuen, a teacher at an Islamic school died after being hit by falling debris, said health worker Achmad Taufiq.

The world’s largest archipelago, Indonesia is prone to earthquakes due to its location on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” an arc of volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific Basin. The 2004 quake and tsunami killed a total of 230,000 people in a dozen countries, most of them in Aceh.</s>MEUREUDU, Indonesia — A strong earthquake rocked Indonesia’s Aceh province early Wednesday, killing nearly 100 people and sparking a frantic rescue effort in the rubble of dozens of collapsed and damaged buildings.

Maj. Gen. Tatang Sulaiman, chief of the army in Aceh province, said at least 97 died while four people were pulled from the rubble alive. Another four or five are known to be buried, but he didn’t say if they were dead or alive.

The rescue effort involving thousands of search officials, villagers, soldiers and police is concentrated on Meureudu, a severely affected town in Pidie Jaya district near the epicenter. Excavators were trying to remove debris from shop houses and other buildings where people were believed buried. TV footage showed rescuers in orange uniforms shining flashlights into the interiors of broken buildings as they searched for signs of life.

The province’s disaster mitigation agency said more than 600 people were injured. The national disaster agency said some 245 buildings were seriously damaged or destroyed, mostly in Pidie Jaya, including 14 mosques. The rest were mainly dwellings and shop houses. Roads also cracked and power poles toppled over.



 A boy sits on the rubble of a building that collapsed after an earthquake as he takes shelter from the sun in Pidie Jaya, Aceh province, Indonesia, Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2016. A strong undersea earthquake rocked Indonesia's Aceh province early on Wednesday, killing a number of people and causing dozens of buildings to collapse. (AP Photo/Heri Juanda)

The U.S. Geological Survey said the 6.5-magnitude earthquake struck at 5:03 a.m. and was centred about 19 kilometres (12 miles) southeast of Sigli, a town near the northern tip of Aceh, at a depth of 17 kilometres (11 miles). The agency had initially placed the epicenter undersea. It did not generate a tsunami.

For Acehnese, the quake was a terrifying reminder of their region’s vulnerability to natural disasters. More than 100,000 died in Aceh after a Dec. 26, 2004, earthquake triggered a devastating tsunami.

“It was very bad, the tremors felt even stronger than the 2004 earthquake,” said Musman Aziz, a Meureudu resident. “I was so scared the tsunami was coming.”

Aiyub Abbas, the chief of Pidie Jaya district, said there was urgent need for emergency supplies and excavation equipment to move heavy debris. Footage showed rescue personnel taking bodies in black bags away from the rubble.



 Rescuers use heavy machines to search for survivors under the rubble of a collapsed building after an earthquake in Pidie Jaya, Aceh province, Indonesia, Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2016. (AP Photo/Heri Juanda)

Muhammad Reza Faisal, director of the general hospital in Pidie Jaya, said the facility was overwhelmed with the numbers of injured and many people were being treated in tents pitched on its grounds. He said five of the quake victims died at the hospital.

In the capital, Jakarta, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo said he had ordered all government agencies to take part in the rescue efforts for Aceh, a conservative province that has considerable autonomy from the central government under a peace deal with separatists.

The Red Cross Indonesia deployed emergency response teams and advertised bank accounts for donations. The International Organization for Migration said it sent an assessment team to Aceh.

Seaside resident Fitri Abidin in Pidie Jaya said she fled with her husband and wailing children to a nearby hill after the quake jolted the family awake. They stayed there for several hours until authorities reassured them there was no tsunami risk.



 Rescuers recover the body of a victim of an earthquake under the rubble of a collapsed building in Pidie Jaya, Aceh province, Indonesia, Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2016. (AP Photo/Heri Juanda)

“It terrified me. I was having difficulty breathing or walking,” Abidin said.

She said her husband grabbed hold of her and carried her out of the house.

The family’s house didn’t collapse but the homes of some neighbours did and Abidin is afraid three friends were buried in the rubble.

In Pidie Jaya’s neighbouring district of Bireuen, a teacher at an Islamic school died after being hit by falling debris, said health worker Achmad Taufiq.

The world’s largest archipelago, Indonesia is prone to earthquakes due to its location on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” an arc of volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific Basin. The 2004 quake and tsunami killed a total of 230,000 people in a dozen countries, most of them in Aceh.</s>The death toll from a powerful earthquake that struck western Indonesia on Wednesday has nearly doubled to 97, the military said, as more bodies were pulled from the rubble of scores of shattered buildings.

The shallow 6.5-magnitude quake struck Pidie Jaya district in Aceh province at dawn as many in the mainly Muslim region on Sumatra island were preparing for morning prayers.

The death toll has steadily climbed as rescue crews search, often by hand, through the homes, mosques and shops reduced to ruins.

The earlier figure of 52 dead was revised up significantly by the Indonesian military, which has taken over responsibility for the search and rescue operation.

More than 1,000 soldiers and about 900 police have been deployed to the worst-hit areas to set up shelters and evacuation points, he added. Hundreds of houses and shops had been levelled by the quake, leaving countless people homeless and in need of basic supplies like food and water, officials said.

“The electricity is still off. Some places have generators, but there are not many,” local disaster agency head Puteh Manaf told AFP.

The sole hospital in Pidie Jaya was quickly overwhelmed, with patients treated on the grass out front or sent to neighbouring districts with better facilities.

The district health office chief Said Abdullah said nearly 200 injured had arrived since the quake, but many would not enter the hospital for fear of aftershocks.

“We are treating people outside. We took the beds out because nobody is daring enter the hospital,” he told AFP.

Another regional hospital had suffered serious damage in the quake, along with schools and other key infrastructure, a national disaster agency spokesman said.

“Everything was destroyed,” said Hasbi Jaya, who pulled his two children unconscious from the rubble of their home.

“It was pitch black because the electricity was out. I looked around and all my neighbours’ homes were completely flattened.”

A huge undersea earthquake in 2004 triggered a tsunami that engulfed parts of Aceh and other countries around the Indian Ocean, killing more than 170,000 people in Indonesia alone.

Indonesian seismologists said the latest earthquake was felt across much of Aceh province, with many aftershocks following the initial tremor.

The US Geological Survey upgraded the magnitude to 6.5 from an initial reading of 6.4 and issued a yellow alert for expected fatalities and damage.</s>Wednesday's 6.5 magnitude earthquake, which toppled dozens of buildings and injured hundreds of people, was the worst disaster to hit the region since the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.

"We believe we have found 99 percent of the victims," said Sutopo Nugroho, spokesman of the national disaster management agency.

The agency revised the death toll down to 100 from 102.

Hundreds of people in Aceh's Pidie Jaya regency held Friday prayers outside mosques that had been reduced to rubble.

Many residents of the town of 140,000 have been sleeping in shelters and relief workers have been handing out food, water, and blankets.

President Joko Widodo visited survivors, including many getting treatment for broken bones in hospitals and tent clinics.

The province of Aceh, on the northern tip of Sumatra island, has declared a two-week state of emergency and the central government has pledged aid for recovery efforts.

A Dec. 26, 2004, earthquake and tsunami killed more than 120,000 people in Aceh.

In all, the 2004 tsunami killed 226,000 people along Indian Ocean shorelines.
At least 96 people are killed following a 6.4 magnitude earthquake in Indonesia's Aceh region. Hundreds of people are injured and several buildings have collapsed.