News - National
Death toll rises in Wednesday quake, second quake hits Indonesia
Posted: Oct 1, 2009 6:26 AM by Associated Press
Officials say a second earthquake has hit Indonesia on the heels of Wednesday's temblor that trapped thousands of people under collapsed buildings and killed more than 500.
A government official says the toll is expected to get higher.
The U.S. Geological Survey says Thursday's temblor was a powerful, shallow inland earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.8.
Shallow, inland earthquakes generally are more destructive.
There were reports that the second quake badly damaged dozens of additional buildings. The 7.6 magnitude undersea temblor Wednesday started fires, severed roads and cut off power and communications to Padang, a coastal city of 900,000 on Sumatra island. Thousands fled in panic, fearing a tsunami.
Officials say at least 500 buildings in Padang collapsed or were badly damaged.
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