- Title: INDONESIA: Family suffers loss of three people from earthquake
- Date: 3rd October 2009
- Summary: PADANG, SUMATRA (OCTOBER 2, 2009) (REUTERS) CROWD STANDING IN FRONT OF BUILDING WOMAN CRYING CROWD IN FRONT OF BUILDING COFFINS WITH CANDLES (SOUNDBITE) (Bahasa Indonesia) SURYO UTOMO, LOST TWO GRANDSONS AND A NEPHEW, SAYING "When the earthquake happened, all the city was blacked out. We were hoping the rescuers could get here faster. But we know the situation. We don't expect much." DESTRUCTION AND RUBBLE MAN CLIMBING ON PILE OF RUBBLE (SOUNDBITE) (Bahasa Indonesia) SURYO UTOMO, LOST TWO GRANDSONS AND A NEPHEW, SAYING "Our family lost two grandchildren and my brother lost his son." CANDLES AND INCENSE CARS DRIVING PAST DESTRUCTION VARIOUS OF DESTRUCTION RESCUE WORKERS CARRYING BODY IN BODY BAG RESCUE WORKERS LOADING BODY INTO VAN RESCUE WORKER CARRYING A BAG AND PUTTING IT INTO VAN VAN PULLING AWAY SEARCH AND RESCUE WORK AT LOCAL AUTHORITIES BUILDING SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAM DISCOVERING BODY AMONG RUBBLE SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAM BRINGING DOWN BODY WITH STRETCHER BODY BEING PUT INTO AMBULANCE AMBULANCE MAN HOLDING PLASTIC BAG WITH BODY PARTS AMBULANCE LEAVING AREA
- Embargoed: 18th October 2009 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Indonesia
- Country: Indonesia
- Topics: Disasters / Accidents / Natural catastrophes
- Reuters ID: LVA7OXNM9EXF8VFSCHJGDKGRA2N
- Story Text: Among the thousands dead and many more trapped in Indonesia's Padang town that was flattened by this week's earthquake, one family had to endure the loss of three people.
An elderly Chinese man walked among the ruins of his house on Friday (October 2), two days after a 7.6- earthquake struck off the west Sumatran coast and brought down much of Padang, claiming the lives of his son and two grandsons.
When the quake shook the town on Wednesday (September 30), the old man's son was on the second floor of their house while the grandsons were on the third floor. But the trio could not escape as the house doors were locked, trapping them in the rubble of their house.
"When the earthquake happened, all the city was blacked out. We were hoping the rescuers could get here faster. But we know the situation. We don't expect much," said Suryo Utomo, whose cousin lost his son and grandsons.
The family belongs to the large minority of Chinese in Padang, which is renowned for its dishes and relishes that go with rice for the eponymous cuisine called Nasi Padang (Padang Rice).
"Our family lost two grandchildren and my brother lost his son," was all Suryo Utomo could say near the coffins which kept his relatives. Candles and incense around the coffins lent a sombre air to the city struggling to find its feet after the earthquake.
Rescuers were still waiting for heavy machinery to remove rubble as they scoured for survivors and retrieved bodies.
More than 1,000 have been confirmed dead while scores others are reported missing.
The search-and-rescue teams from local authorities and the army were working with local residents as they removed the bodies to a make-shift morgue. Officials said the operation will take days as rains occasionally hampered their work.
Padang has at times descended into chaos, with fuel in short supply, some shops running out of food and many residents scrambling to find clean water. Many roads in the region have been severed by landslides.
A 6.6 magnitude quake hit another part of Sumatra island on Thursday (October 1), causing fresh panic but no reported deaths. The second quake's epicentre was about 225 km (140 miles) southeast of Padang, the U.S. Geological Survey said. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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