Rescue teams continue to search the rubble of downed buildings for survivors of yesterday's earthquake off the coast of Indonesia. They are also recovering an increasing number of dead bodies. The official death toll is now 330 people but local officials fear it could go as high as 2,200.

Nias Island is the area that was hardest hit by the damage caused by yesterday's earthquake which registered an 8.7 on the Richter scale. A tsunami warning was issued shortly after the quake hit but there were no tsunamis reported.

At least 13 aftershocks from the earthquake have been reported. Most of them have ranged between
5.0 and 6.1 on the Richter scale and they have hampered rescue efforts and kept the population on edge.

Relief organizations and charities from around the world have offered help to Indonesia which was one of the countries hit by the tsunami last December 26 which the region is still recovering from.


Damage to the area's airport has prevented any larger planes from landing and is keeping medical supplies and personnel out of the area.

Alessandra Boas of Oxfam told the Associated Press, 'The devastation is obvious as soon as you land,' she said. 'Many of the houses here have collapsed, but it's still too early for us to get a sense of the full scale of this.'

Meanwhile the search for bodies and possible survivors continues.