JAKARTA, May 8 (AFP) - The death toll from the devastating earthquake and tidal waves that hit Indonesia's Central Sulawesi province rose to 40 on Monday, the state Antara news agency said.

An estimated 23,000 houses and government buildings were destroyed by the quake, which devastated the islands of Peleng and Banggai and left thousands homeless, Antara said.

Mansur Ba'adi, a local youth activist, said the victims were in dire need of food and medical assistance.

"So many people have died and tens of thousands of people are homeless, but five days after the quake I haven't seen any movement to help the victims," Ba'adi was quoted as saying.

Scores of coastal villages on the islands were reported to have been flattened by tidal waves following the temblor, which measured 6.5 on the Richter scale.

Local officials have said up to 80 percent of houses along the coast were destroyed.

On August 3 last year two Banggai island districts were hit by a quake measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale which destroyed scores of houses, but claimed no casualties.

Indonesia, the world's largest archipilagic nation, lies in a volcanically active area and is prone to seismic turmoil.

tn/bs/dab AFP

Copyright (c) 2000 Agence France-Presse
Received by NewsEdge Insight: 05/08/2000 06:45:52

=A9AFP 2000: The information provided in this product is for personal use only. None of it may be reproduced in any form whatsoever without the express permission of Agence France-Presse