Padang, West Sumatra,     - Personnel from as many as 51 international organizations have arrived in West Sumatra to help in the evacuation of earthquake victims and provision of their  logistics needs.

Hundreds of foreign personnel from the international organizations  have reported to local authorities, West Sumatra Vice Governor Marlis Rahman stated here on Saturday.

The foreign volunteers had spread to different locations, the sites of  collapsed buildings in West Sumatra province to help in efforts to rescue and evacuate people trapped in the ruins caused by  last Wednesday's magnitude-7.6 earthquake.

Among international organizations providing assistance in West Sumatra are the International Organization  for Migration (IOM), Indonesian-based Hope, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), AusAID from Australia, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), HK Logistics and US Consulate General in Medan.

Other institutions are USAID, European Commission, Crown Medical Center Hospital from Malaysia, Turkey Humanitarian Aid, Church World Service (CWS) and UNOCHO.

The foreign volunteers were mostly focusing their attention on  victims in the two worst impacted locations in West Sumatra : Padang city and Padang Pariaman district.

According to ANTARA`s observation, thousands of people are believed still trapped in collapsed buildings in several areas in West Sumatra`s capital city of Padang such as in Mara Palam district, Adira Finance building in Sawahan district, Nurul Iman mosque, Ambacang and Bumi Minang hotel, Sari pharmacy store and Gama course building.

Other parts of the province affected by the impact of the earthquake were the districts of South Pesisir , West Pasaman, Agam, Solok, and Solok city.

According to data from West Sumatra`s Center for Natural Disaster Management, up till Saturday ( ), as many as 466 people had died due to the powerful earthquake.

Some 279 local residents were seriously injured and 2,530 others lightly wounded.

-Antara, 04 October 2009-