Time is running out for anyone trapped in the rubble of a devastating earthquake and tsunami in Indonesia, five days after disaster struck, while increasingly angry survivors wait for an aid operation to move into high gear.
The official death toll from the 7.5 magnitude quake that hit the west coast of the island of Sulawesi last Friday stood at 1234 on Wednesday, with many killed by tsunami waves triggered by the quake.
But officials fear the toll could soar, as most of the confirmed dead have come from Palu, a small city 1500km northeast of Jakarta, and losses in remote areas largely cut off since Friday have yet to be determined.
Underlining a growing sense of urgency, President Joko Widodo was due to make his second visit to the disaster zone on Wednesday.
At least seven cargo planes arrived at Palu airport early on Wednesday carrying tonnes of aid, some stamped with the presidential office seal declaring: "Assistance from the President of Republic of Indonesia".
Widodo called on Tuesday for reinforcements in the search for survivors, saying everyone had to be found.
Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency, said late on Tuesday rescuers had reached all four of the badly affected districts, which together have a population of 1.4 million, but he declined to give an estimate of casualties.
"We hope the death toll does not rise," he said. "We're continuing rescue operations but right now the team is racing against time."
The quake brought down hotels, shopping malls and countless houses in Palu, while tsunami waves as high as 6m scoured its beachfront shortly afterwards.
About 1700 houses in one neighbourhood were swallowed up by ground liquefaction, which happens when soil shaken by an earthquake behaves like a liquid, and hundreds of people are believed to have perished.
More than 65,000 homes were damaged and more than 60,000 people have been displaced.
The government has said it would accept offers of international aid after shunning outside help earlier this year when an earthquake struck Lombok island.
Humanitarian agencies had spoken to the government and were ready to help, Jens Laerke, a spokesman for the main UN aid co-ordinating agency, OCHA, said on Tuesday.
Australia promised to send more than 50 medical professionals to Indonesia to help as part of a $5 million aid package.
US President Donald Trump extended condolences in a phone call with Widodo, a State Department spokeswoman said.
The United States had provided initial funding, deployed disaster experts and was working to determine what other help could be given, she said.
Indonesia has been struck by devastating earthquakes and tsunamis before.
A quake in 2004 triggered a tsunami across the Indian Ocean that killed 226,000 people in 13 countries, including more than 120,000 in Indonesia.
Widodo said on Tuesday a tsunami warning system set up after that disaster, which has been out of action since 2012, had to be repaired and properly maintained.
Source: AAP
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