Strong earthquake levels hundreds of buildings in Indonesia

Strong earthquake levels hundreds of buildings in Indonesia

A powerful earthquake flattened hundreds of buildings in western Indonesia on Tuesday, killing at least 26 people and leaving hospitals grappling with scores of injured, officials and media reports said.

The magnitude 6.3 quake on Sumatra island was felt hundreds of kilometers (miles) away in Singapore, where some office buildings were evacuated, and in neighboring Malaysia, the AP says.

Local TV station SCTV reported that 26 people had been killed, citing correspondents in the area.

Officials were not immediately available to confirm that figure, but had earlier said nine people had died.