Magnitude 7.6 shakes W. Sumatra

An earthquake measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale struck areas of West Sumatra on Wednesday afternoon, with tremors felt as far away as Malaysia and Medan in North Sumatra.

The Geophysics, Climatology and Meteorology Agency (BMKG) said the epicenter of the quake was 71 kilometers below sea level and 78 kilometers southwest of Padang.

Esti, an analyst from BMKG Medan, told Antara state news agency the quake occurred at 5:17 p.m. but had not triggered to any tsunamis.

In Medan, hundreds of residents rushed from their homes and buildings to avoid possible collapses from to the powerful quake.

The Health Ministry has dispatched medical teams carrying medicine and food supplies for victims of a major earthquake that shook Padang and Pariaman in West Sumatra on Wednesday afternoon.

A spokesman for the ministry’s crisis center, Rustam Pakaya, said teams from health agencies in Medan and Palembang were on their way to the West Sumatra towns.

“Tomorrow [Thursday] morning, about 40 doctors, including specialists, will fly to Padang for the humanitarian mission,” Rustam said. The medical team will leave from the Halim Perdanakusuma Airport in East Jakarta at about 6 a.m.

Minangkabau Airport in Padang was temporarily closed because of damages caused by the 7.6-magnitude quake.

The crisis center said 21 people had been killed and 75 were injured in the quake, with thousands displaced by the disaster. Padang Mayor Fauzi Bahar said at least 75 people had been killed in the quake.

Over 50 people were killed when a 6.4-magnitude quake hit Padang in March 2007.