Sumatra Quake Kills at Least 44
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JAKARTA, Indonesia — A powerful earthquake and several strong aftershocks rocked the Indonesian island of Sumatra, leaving at least 44 people dead and thousands homeless, authorities said today.
The Indonesian Meteorological and Geophysical Service said the quake, measuring magnitude 7.3, hit at 11:29 p.m. Sunday and was centered beneath the Indian Ocean about 400 miles northwest of Jakarta, the capital.
The U.S. Geological Survey in Golden, Colo., estimated the quake’s strength at 7.9.
The quake lasted several minutes and shook a wide area. A major aftershock hit minutes later, followed by many more smaller tremors before dawn today.
Bengkulu, a city of about 1.2 million about 60 miles east of the epicenter, appeared to have been hit the worst. An official of the state geophysical service in Jakarta said many of the fatalities so far had been due to falling debris. The death toll was expected to rise.
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