Thousands Dead After Indonesia Quake

A magnitude 6.2 earthquake hit Indonesia`s Java Island, killing more than 3,700 people. More than 10,000 were wounded and 200,000 people lost their homes.

The earthquake struck the southern coast of Java Island, about 24 km southwest from Yogyakarta, a densely populated culture city, at 5:54 a.m. local time.

Houses and buildings within several hundreds of km to the epicenter were destroyed, killing and wounding tens of thousands of people in an instant.

According to Associated Press, the Indonesian government estimated 3,733 deaths as of Sunday. Many more are still under the ruins, so the number is expected to increase with time.

Short of doctors, anesthetics, and bandages, most of the wounded, treated only with first aid, are lying on the streets in front of hospitals suffering from pain.

The Korean Foreign Ministry announced Sunday that no injuries or deaths of Koreans were yet reported.

Hundreds of thousands of refugees are staying through the night in tents or out on the streets in rain, shivering with fear.

The Indonesian government urgently sent police and military assistance to the region, but disconnected electricity and phone lines and destroyed roads make the aid and relief efforts very difficult.

The earthquake is also threatening a massive eruption of the Mount Merapi, 80 km north from the epicenter.

President George W. Bush offered his condolences to the victims and their families in a statement on Saturday. Pope Benedict XVI and U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan also extended their sympathies.

Countries around the world are pledging donations and dispatches of doctors and relief squads. The European Union and the U.S. said they would release $3.8 million (around 3.6 billion won) and $2.5 million (around 2.4 billion won) in emergency aid, respectively.

Jin Lee leej@donga.com