DESPERATE HUNT FOR THE TRAPPED BY QUAKE IN SUMATRA

INDONESIA EARTHQUAKE DEATH TOLL COULD EXCEED 1,000
IN PADANG A CITY OF CLOSE TO ONE MILLION RESIDENTS

YAKARTA (Reuters) - A powerful quake rocked western Indonesia Wednesday, trapping thousands under collapsed buildings - including two hospitals - and triggering landslides. The magnitude 7.9 (on the Richter scale) powerful earthquake struck the city of Padang in West Sumatra, yesterday. At least 100 people were killed on Sumatra island and the death toll was expected to climb sharply. The shaking could be felt in high buildings in the capital, Jakarta, several hundred miles, and in neighbouring Singapore and Malaysia.

A major rescue operation was under way after the devastating earthquake which struck the island, leaving hundreds and possibly thousands of people buried in rubble and a major city cut off from the outside world. As many as 1,000 people have been trapped under collapsed buildings. Although disaster relief officials said the number of confirmed deaths was between 100 and 200, they warned that the figure was likely to rise, at least 1,000 may have been killed.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?

When we go on pilgrimage, we pay 4000 rupees to the railway company to book a passenger bogie. We spent so many days in it. ... However, we have not even a slight attachment for that bogie. What is the reason for this? The reason is knowledge. The knowledge that this bogie is not ours. It belongs to the railway company. It was only meant for our pilgrimage. If we get a similar kind of realization about this material world, we will think that all our possessions, wife, son, family, house and our very body belong to the Supreme Lord. Always think that we have got it for a fixed period of time as per the will of the Supreme Lord, and after finishing that period, it will go away by the will of the Supreme Lord. Then we will not keep attachment for this temporary world which is full of miseries.

Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Maharaja :
"Lecture 'Hari Bhajan in Married Life' - Published Oct 31, 2002 "