At least 46 people are already known to have died, but authorities in Indonesia expect the death toll to rise significantly as they search for more victims of yesterday’s earthquake.

Thousands of homes have collapsed or lie buried under the mud. One resident of Cikangkareng in West Java described how immediately after the tremors and noise of the earthquake came the the landslide. The epicentre of the magnitude seven quake was located a few hundred kilometers south of the Indonesian capital, Jakarta. Many of those whose homes are still standing are too scared to return amid the risk of aftershocks. Australia and Japan have promised as much aid as they can provide to the recovery effort. In the meantime, rescue teams face a grim task removing the rubble, driven by the hope they might find people still alive buried underneath.More about: Earthquake, Indonesia

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