JAKARTA, May 27 (UPI) -- A major earthquake struck the Indonesian island of Java early Saturday, killing more than 3,000 people and leaving an estimated 200,000 homeless.
Rescue teams searched the rubble in the city of Yogyakarta, hunting for survivors, the BBC reported.
The quake measured 6.2 on the Richter scale. It flattened buildings on the southern coast of the island, near the erupting volcano Mount Merapi.
There were reports of heightened volcanic activity.
The airport was closed because of quake damage, hampering efforts to bring assistance into the area. At least 2,900 people were injured, and local medical facilities were overwhelmed.
The Indonesian Red Cross planned to set up 21 mobile field hospitals in the area.
The epicenter of the quake was 23 miles south of Yogyakarta, Indonesia's ancient royal capital. The city is 275 miles southeast of Jakarta.
The quake did not set off a tsunami.
