EARTHQUAKES STRIKE AGAIN IN PACIFIC

Two earthquakes have struck the island of Sumatra in Indonesia, probably killing thousands. Within 24 hours of an estimated 8.1 quake in the Pacific ocean causing a tsunami in Samoa, a 7.6 magnitude quake hit Sumatra yesterday, causing the collapse of hundreds of buildings in Padang, the capital of West Sumatra province, as well as several landslides outside the city. Heavy rain continued overnight before a 6.9 magnitude quake struck today at around 9am local time. The second quake was at a depth of only 15.5 miles. Health minister Siti Fadilah Supari said that the disaster was "high-scale". With the Philippines and Samoa already suffering from severe weather events in the past week, and more expected in the Philippines, aid agencies are stretched.