MEDAN, North Sumatra, Indonesia, Dec. 27 (Xinhuanet) -- Some 5,000 people were killed by an extremely powerful earthquake and the following tsunami on Sunday, officials said here on Monday.

    The figure comprised those who died in Aceh province and the Nias district as well as the South Nias district in North Sumatra province, they said.

    "About 4,000 to 5,000 people died in whole Aceh province," said Bakrie Bak, an official of the National Disaster Management Coordination Board, who had just arrived here from Banda Aceh, the capital city of Aceh province.

    Bakrie came to the nearest big city from Aceh to purchase equipment, food and drug for the victims in Aceh province.

    Another official disclosed that sea water with ten meter high swept Banda Aceh on Sunday, bringing disastrous results for the city.

    Meanwhile, Rizal Nurdin, the governor of North Sumatra province said that his area needs a number of assistance from Jakarta, including food and medicine as well as rescue equipment.

    He told reporters that the quake had seriously hit two districts in North Sumatra province. In the Nias district, water came in to the land by 50 meters and 2 meters high, killing more than 43 people, Nurdin said.

    The governor also said that some 75 people lost in the Nias district and 33 houses destroyed in the South Nias district.

    "This morning I sent out a search team, but they were lack of facilities and equipment," he told reporters.

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