powerful earthquake kills 75 in indonesia

Let me just echo my friends over at Disgrasian: what the hell does Mother Nature have against Asia this week? On top of all the crazy stuff that has gone down, a powerful earthquake struck western Indonesia today, triggering landslides and trapping thousands under collapsed buildings. At least 75 bodies have been found, but the toll is expected to be far higher: Powerful Indonesia quake kills 75, traps thousands.

The magnitude 7.6 quake hit Indonesia at 5:15pm local time, just off the coast of Padang, It occurred a day after a killer tsunami hit islands in the South Pacific and was along the same fault line that spawned the 2004 Asian tsunami that killed 230,000 people in 11 nations. More here: Indonesia quake death toll reaches 75.

UPDATE: The earthquake has been followed by a second powerful, shallow inland earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.8: Strong Indonesia quake kills hundreds, traps more.