Via the Globe and Mail, an AP report: Destruction strikes city in Indonesian earthquake. Excerpt:
A powerful earthquake struck western Indonesia on Wednesday, triggering landslides and trapping thousands under collapsed buildings — including two hospitals, an official said. At least 75 bodies were found, but the toll was expected to be far higher.
The temblor started fires, severed roads and cut off power and communications to Padang, a coastal city of 900,000 on Sumatra island. Thousands fled in panic, fearing a tsunami.Indonesia's healthcare system is fragile enough without this kind of added disaster. And Sumatra has seen numerous outbreaks of human H5N1 in recent years.
