President offers condolences to Chile

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has offered his deepest condolences to the government and the people of Chile following the devastating earthquake and tsunami in the Latin American country.

"The president has offered his deepest possible condolences to the government of Chile and the family of the victims in a powerful earthquake which jolted the county on February 27, 2010," presidential spokesman Dino Patti Djalal said at the presidential office here on Monday.

Patti Djalal said the head of state had expressed hope that international relieve aids would soon reach the quake victims in Chile, and rescue effort would immediately be made to evacuate survivors who would probably be still buried under the ruins of collapsing houses and buildings.

He said the president also hope that emergency response would also be immediately completed in Chile.

"Indonesia is one of earthquake-prone country and that we can feel the misery experienced by the government and the people of Chile, but we believe the Chilean government with its international cooperation will be able to manage it well," Patti Djalal quoted the president as saying.

Meanwile, Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa said all Indonesian people in Chile were safe in that powerful earthquake measuring 8.8 on the Richter scale.

"As of last night it was confirmed that none of 101 Indonesians in Chile fell victims of the earthquake. Our ambassador in Chile said all Indonesian people there are safe," Patti Djalal said.

Meanwhile Reuters reported from Chile that Chile`s government scrambled on Monday to provide aid to thousands of homeless in coastal towns devastated by the massive earthquake and tsunamis as 10,000 troops moved into stricken areas to quell looting.

It said the government sharply raised the death toll to 711 from Saturday`s 8.8 magnitude quake as harrowing scenes of destruction emerged in isolated towns swamped by the giant waves that were triggered by one of the strongest earthquakes
in a century.

With many people missing and some communities in the worst-hit central region of the South American country still largely cut off by mangled roads, President Michelle Bachelet said the death toll was certain to rise.