EARTHQUAKE IN INDONESIA

More than 3,000 people have been killed and thousands more injured by a strong earthquake that struck the Indonesian island of Java.

The quake, measuring 6.2, flattened buildings in a densely populated area south of the city of Yogyakarta, near the southern coast of Java.

The Indonesian Province of the Priests of the Sacred Heart has two houses in Yogyakarta, but they suffered no serious damage and none of our confreres was injured during the earthquake. When the calamity struck, they were celebrating Mass. Hearing the grumbling sound and feeling the trembling earth, they exited the chapel and waited for until the earthquake was over. Overall damage was minimal: one shelf of books in the library fell down; some windows were broken; many articles such as statues and flower pots fell down and were broken.

"Some relatives of our confreres who live nearby Yogyakarta died and many of them were injured," said Fr. Basiran, SCJ. "Most of them lost their houses and belongings. It was very sad," he added.

"All of our young confreres were sent out to help people, to evacuate the victims, and to bring injured people to hospitals or other safe places. All hospitals in Yogyakarta are full of patients; many of them have to stay outside overnight. Survivors have to stay under the tents or in the streets because they are afraid to stay in houses which still stand. They need food and water, tents, medicine - they need help," Fr. Basiran, SCJ, said.