Indonesia quake survivors clean up, mourn their dead

SOLOK – Relatives of those killed in a powerful Indonesian earthquake sobbed and threw rose petals on graves Wednesday and others began clearing rubble from their crumpled homes.

At least 52 people were killed and hundreds injured in the temblor – the latest in a string of natural disasters to hit the nation. “My heart is crushed,” said Yera Wesi, who lost her daughter Regia Putri.The 5-year-old ran out of her preschool when the ground began shaking violently, cracking nearby roads, shops and houses.She made it to the playground, but was smashed beyond recognition when a slab of concrete rained down from the building next door.”She was my only daughter,” Wesi said weakly, as her husband wept near a small mound of fresh dirt sprinkled with flowers.The 6,3 magnitude earthquake that struck Sumatra island Tuesday left at least 52 dead, said Cabinet Secretary Sudi Silalahi, lowering the death toll by nearly 20.He said some victims had been counted twice.The temblor was felt as far away as neighbouring Malaysia and Singapore, where some tall buildings were evacuated.Two hours later, a 6,1 aftershock rattled the region.In Solok, a bustling town close to the epicentre, three members of one family were burned alive when their collapsed home burst into flames, said police spokesman Supriadi, who like many Indonesians uses only one name.The damage was visible in patches of town and varied greatly.Nampa-AP”My heart is crushed,” said Yera Wesi, who lost her daughter Regia Putri.The 5-year-old ran out of her preschool when the ground began shaking violently, cracking nearby roads, shops and houses.She made it to the playground, but was smashed beyond recognition when a slab of concrete rained down from the building next door.”She was my only daughter,” Wesi said weakly, as her husband wept near a small mound of fresh dirt sprinkled with flowers.The 6,3 magnitude earthquake that struck Sumatra island Tuesday left at least 52 dead, said Cabinet Secretary Sudi Silalahi, lowering the death toll by nearly 20.He said some victims had been counted twice.The temblor was felt as far away as neighbouring Malaysia and Singapore, where some tall buildings were evacuated.Two hours later, a 6,1 aftershock rattled the region.In Solok, a bustling town close to the epicentre, three members of one family were burned alive when their collapsed home burst into flames, said police spokesman Supriadi, who like many Indonesians uses only one name.The damage was visible in patches of town and varied greatly.Nampa-AP