Strong aftershock rocks Bengkulu for some 15 minutes

JAKARTA (JP): A powerful aftershock measuring 6.2 on the Richter scale jolted earthquake-stricken Bengkulu early on Thursday as locals protested the slow supply of emergency relief.

The tremor, which was also felt in the South Sumatra provincial capital of Palembang and the town of Lahat, shook the area for some 15 minutes at about 6:45 a.m.

Antara reported that one person died as a result of the tremor in Lahat, while over 600 buildings were damaged.

The Meteorologic and Geophysics Office in Kepahiang, Bengkulu, said the aftershock's epicenter was near Enggano island, some 120 kilometers from the provincial capital of Bengkulu, and 100 kilometers below sea level.

A series of powerful earthquakes also shook China, Japan and Myanmar at about the same time.

Hundreds of small aftershocks have followed the 7.9 earthquake that hit the province late on Sunday, causing locals to panic and creating fresh fears of more fatalities and damage.

Bengkulu Governor Hasan Zen called on local residents to remain calm and disregard speculation that a tidal wave and more powerful aftershocks would follow Thursday's tremor.

"We appeal to the local people to ignore these rumors. The mass media should participate in helping to calm the situation," he said.

Hundreds of people in the provincial capital of Bengkulu on Thursday also expressed frustration over what they saw as the slow pace of emergency assistance to thousands of people badly needing help.

Most of these people are being accommodated in makeshift tents after their houses collapsed in the disaster.

The supply of emergency relief to victims has been slow because of damage to many roads, a shortage of transportation facilities, including airline flights, to the province.

Meanwhile, social workers and medical teams both from Jakarta and many foreign countries have started work to provide food and medical aid to the injured.

Shushaki Hirayasu, who leads the Japanese medical team, said his team was concentrating on helping treat hundreds of seriously injured victims in Muhammad Yunus General Hospital in Bengkulu city.

He said he was coordinating with the government-supported task force to distribute aid to the needy.

Idris, the hospital's director, hailed the coordination among medical teams to help treat patients in the hospital.

He said 54 patients were undergoing intensive treatment for serious injuries in the hospital, while 92 others have been allowed to go home. Another 13 died in hospital. (rms)