Situation:
Initial reports indicate more than 70 people have been killed by the 6.3 quake that struck at 10:49 a.m. local time on Tuesday March 6, 2007. A second trembler measuring 6.0 hit the same region two hours later. Hospitals have been overrun with patients. Local officials say more than 200 people have been injured. Hundreds of buildings have been destroyed or damaged.
The U.S. geographic survey says the quake struck 33 kilometers below Solok, the worst hit area. Solok is located in the foothills of Mt. Talang some 60 kilometers from the city of Padang in West Sumatra.
The quake caused panic in coastal areas amid fears of a tsunami. Initial reports say at least one hospital was evacuated and at least two students killed when their school collapsed.
Thousands are without electricity and phone lines have also been affected. The road from Padang to Solok has been damaged hampering supplies. However, mobile phones in some areas are still working.
UNICEF has sent two staff members and a member of UN-OCHA (Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) is on his way to the affected area. They will assist in a joint UN - Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) rapid assessment of the situation.
UNICEF has emergency supplies located in Northern Sumatra (Medan) and they will be deployed, if needed, following Wednesday's assessment.
For further information please contact Lina Sofiani +628121070104 Emergency Officer or Anton Susanto +62868 1101 8550 Programme Communication Officer. E-mails: lsofiani@unicef.org, asusanto@unicef.org