JAKARTA, Dec. 26 (Xinhuanet) -- At least 60 people have been killed after a strong earthquake rocked Aceh province in Indonesiaon Sunday morning, unleashing tidal waves, according to local online reports here.

    The casualty could be higher as the authorities still search for other victims.

    At least ten people were found dead in Banda Aceh, the capital city of the province, which is near the sea. The bodies were brought to the nearest health clinic.

    A powerful earthquake measuring 8.1 at the Richter degree shocked many parts of the provinces of North Sumatera and Aceh in the country around 08:00 (local time) Sunday.

    In Biruen district, which was seriously damaged by the quake, the natural disaster killed more than 50 others.

    According to the chief of district of Bireun named only Mustopa,the dead were found spread across the district.

    "We keep searching the bodies," he said.

    Meanwhile, telecommunication lines from Banda Aceh city were cut because most equipment was inundated by tsunami generated by the quake.

    Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who had been visiting the victims of recent earthquake in Nabire district, in Papua province, had ordered authorities to handle the natural disaster and asked some ministers to visit the affected area, the state spokesman Andi Mallarangeng said.

    "The President instructs his personnel to handle the victims ofthe quake," he was quoted as saying by the Indonesian news agency Antara.

    President Susilo was also celebrating Christmas with the victims in Papua.

    Vice President Jusuf Kalla asked a number of ministers to visitAceh province.

    "Until now the communication can not be conducted appropriately, so the minister of information and the minister of people welfare and poverty alleviation would go to the province to see the situation," Kalla was quoted by the Detik news online as saying.

    He said the government would ensure that the supply of food anddrug was sufficient as well as good preparation for those to temporarily settle.

    Sunday's quake was the third to hit Indonesia after Nabire in Papua on Nov. 26 which killed 17 people and Alor in East Nusa Tenggara on Nov. 12, which killed at least 27 people. Enditem