Death Toll Climbs in Indonesia Quake

The earthquake that struck the Indonesia island of Java on Saturday is reported to have taken the lives of almost 5,700 people, according to the latest news reports. Multinational help is on the scene, according to reports from the Associated Press and CNN. The earthquake had a magnitude of 6.3, according to the U.S. Geological Survey; its epicenter was 10 miles south of Yogyakarta and 280 miles east-southeast of Jakarta. It struck just before 6 a.m., local time, on May 27. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies says there was severe damage to buildings in the surrounding area, including the towns of Klaten, Bantul and Kulon. Visit [www.usgs.gov].