A powerful and devastating earthquake of 8.7 on Richter scale rocked and massive tsunamis swept Aceh and North Sumatra provinces, Indonesia around 08:00 ( local time) Sunday, so far death toll in Indonesia climbed to 5, 000, and the figure is on rise.
This is the worst natural disaster after the 1883 eruption of Mountain Krakatau that killed 36,000 people in the country.
The worst affected area was Banda Aceh, the capital city of Aceh province, where some 3,000 people had lost their lives during the disaster. Since the western seaboard of Aceh, where has a population of nearly one million, death toll could be higher. Following his inspection in the region, Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla told newsmen in Medan, the capital city of North Sumatra on Tuesday that he predicted that victims of the disaster could be as high as 20,000 to 25,000 in the country.
He said on Monday that the government would allocate unlimited funds to assist the relief operations. "We will disburse whatever funds are needed for the rescue operation," Kalla was quoted as saying by the daily Jakarta Post in Jakarta Tuesday.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who had been visiting the victims of recent earthquake in Nabire district, of Papua province, flied to Sumatra island directly on Monday for inspection himself on the scene. Earlier, the President ordered a three-day of nationwide mourning for the victims in the catastrophe and asked offices to fly the national flag at half-mast. He also requested authorities to handle the natural disaster and asked some ministers to visit the Area to coordinate rescue and aid operations.
In line with President Susilo's instruction, the Ministry of Finance said the government had disbursed 50 billion rupiah, which is some US$5.6 million in an initial relief fund, mainly for food, drinking water and other urgent issues.
To coordinate with the government rescue and aid operation, the Indonesian Military Force (TNI) announced a ceasefire to halt its military operation against the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM) in the province.
The TNI lost 377 soldiers and officers in the disaster up to now. It's chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto said he had ordered security authorities in Aceh to utilize the existing military facilities and personnel for the rescue operation.
In the wake of the quake and tsunami, the TNI and police personnel took part in a search and rescue mission for victims, mostly children and senior citizens, mostly along the seaboard of Aceh province, where nearly one million people reside.
The TNI also dispatched five Hercules transport planes and five helicopters to help ship 10,000 tons of urgently needed medicine to Aceh as well as a warship for the relief operation.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health arranged 44 doctors to the area and delivered tons of medicine for diarrhea, influenza and skin diseases. The Ministry of Public Works plans to send equipment to help rebuild houses. These equipment includes three 30-meter long transportable bridges, water tanks and 60 portable toilets.
In Banda Aceh, the capital of Aceh province, the local administration allocated a three-hectare of land for a public grave for those victims.
However, due to its massive damages in the region, there is still a long way ahead for full reconstruction.
Sunday's quake was the third major to hit Indonesia after Nabire in Papua and Alor in East Nusa Tenggara, the most serious natural disaster since 1883.
The tidal wave triggered by the quake also hit other Asian countries, including Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, the Maldives, Malaysia and Myanmar.