JAKARTA, June 5: A powerful earthquake and dozens ot strong aftershocks struck the Indonesian island of Sumatra at night, killing at least 58 people, leaving hundreds injured and thousands homeless, officials said today, reports AP.

Widespread panic was reported tn Bengkulu, a province of about 1.2 million people near the tremor's epicenter, as rescuers dug through the rubble of ruined buildings in search of bodies and trapped survivors.

The Indonesian Meteorological and Geophysical Service said the quake, measuring 7.3 magnitude, hit at 11:29 pm Sunday and lasted for several minutes. Jolting people from their beds. The US Geological Survey in Golden. Colorado, estimated its magnitude as 7.9. A magnitude 7 earthquake is capable of causing widespread and heavy damage in urban areas.

AH Muchtar. Bengkulu heath department chief said 58 people were confirmed dead. Almost 500 people had been reported injured. 255 seriously.

A police officer in the Bengkulu. Lt. Ritonga, said the death toll was expected to rise further as volunteers and emergency workers searched through ruined buildings.

Communications to many parts of the province had been cut. he said.

Witnesses said local hospitals were overwhelmed with injured people and were struggling to cope as few stall members had arrived at work

Doctors in the provincial capital. Bengkulu town, treated injured people in an outside parking lot. fearing that aftershocks might bring down (he state hospital, the official Antara news agency reported.

Muchtar said the hospital had been badlv damaged.

Electricity'and water supplies had been cut and many phone Unes were down in the town of about 250.000 people.

Medical supplies were running low. Antara reported that some doctors had been forced to perforin some minor operations without anesthetics

The city's airport was closed because of damage to its communications equipment and passenger terminal. Some roads to the city had been blocked by landslides.

"Many houses have collapsed. and the walls on bigger buildings have been fractured I

helped save three of m\ neighbours who were trapped under rubble " said Edy. a resident of Bengkulu. which is 100 kilometers east of (he quake's epicen-tri Like many Indonesians. Edy uses only one name.

Seismologists said (he tremor was centered beneath the Indian Ocean. 650 kilometers northwest of Jakarta. A magnitude 6 aftershock hit 1 1 minutes afterward the quake, and 53 smaller tremors were recorded before 6 am Monday, frightening residents and hampering rescuers. Indonesian seismologists said.

Thousands lied their homes ns aftershocks continued, and many were left homeless by the damage.

"The quake went on for many minutes. Dozens of homes have been destroyed and almost all houses and buildings in the citv seem to have been damaged." said Bengkulu police Sgt. Hariyono. "People are terrified every time (hey feel aftershocks." he said.

President Abdurrahman Wahid offered no immediate emergency response, saying instead that his government had to assess the problem.