"Miracle" escape for quake-hit Indonesian village

"It's a miracle that nobody in this village was killed by this powerful quake," the 42-year-old man marvelled following the 8.4-magnitude quake, which struck Wednesday on the eve of Ramadan, Islam's holiest month.

While only the interior of his own house was destroyed, Mukhtar's neighbours were not so lucky in the village 40 kilometres (25 miles) north of Bengkulu, the city nearest the epicentre of the quake off Sumatra island.

Many of their homes buckled with the force of the temblor, which has been followed by repeated and frightening aftershocks. But at least they escaped with their lives.

Memories of a massive quake here in 2000, which killed around 88 people, had helped, the residents said.

"The (big) earthquake was preceded by light quakes," said Rosdaniar, a 45-year-old mother of five.