Indonesian tsunami death reaches 98,000
7/1/2005 17:19
The death toll in Indonesia increased to 98,000 people, and more than a half
million others were refugees after tsunami hit the provinces of Aceh and North
Sumatra on December 26, Social Ministry told Xinhua on Friday. The number of
death toll would increase as there are still many bodies unfound among the
ruins, an official of the ministry Susanti said. She said that the increase
was driven by finding of scores of bodies in the hardest-tsunami hit of Maulaboh
district. The catastrophe also made 544,927 people in the provinces homeless
and most of them take shelter in refugee camp, she said. At least 1,4043
people are still in hospitals, Susanti said. United Nations Secretary General
Kofi Annan was visiting Aceh Friday to see the damage of the tsunami
disaster. The visit is one day after world leaders and dignitaries met in
Jakarta to coordinate assistance to tsunami-affected countries.
Xinhua
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