Strong aftershocks rattled Indonesia's earthquake-devastated Nias Island yesterday as international aid flowed in and rescuers pulled survivors and bodies out of the rubble of collapsed buildings.

Aftershocks have continued to hit the area, raising fears among victims of Monday's strong quake -- an 8.7 on the Richter scale.

At least three tremors rocked the area off the west coast of Sumatra Island, one of them measured at 6.3 on the Richter scale by the Hong Kong Observatory, causing alarm as rescue efforts and body recovery operations entered a third day.

Meteorological official Burhas Simanjuntak said from the Sumtra City of Medan that more than 700 tremors have hit since the quake. The strongest yesterday measured 5.5 on the Richter scale.

The region was shaken by 48 aftershocks after the initial earthquake late on March 28, a further 628 over the next two days and 51 in the first eight hours of yesterday.

"Their magnitude varied but they have stayed mostly between 4.1 and 5.5 on the Richter scale since Wednesday," he said.

The United Nations said yesterday that 624 people had been confirmed dead from the earthquake, while Indonesian officials say the toll could be as high as 2,000.

The grim search for survivors continued yesterday, but hopes of finding anyone alive under the rubble were fading three days after a huge earthquake left hundreds dead.

As many as 2,000 people are feared to have died, many of them trapped under the rubble, according to Indonesian officials. A UN statement late on Wednesday said some 500 were confirmed killed.

Hungry survivors who fled to the hills for fear of massive waves similar to the Indian Ocean tsunami that struck the area three months ago were returning to the main town, Gunungsitoli.

"For the last two days we have been staying up in the mountains," civil servant Ama Rori, 50, said. He and his wife and family are now staying under a tarpaulin in front of their ruined house.

"We have got nothing. They say they will hand out food today. We just have to wait."

The UN's World Food Program estimated 200,000 Nias residents would need food aid for about two months. Government data show 700,000 residents on the island.

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono arrived on the island yesterday.

Nias regent Binahati Baeha said aid was now flowing better in Gunungsitoli.

"Aid has come, there has been some progress," he said.

But Ole Hauge, delegation head for International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in Jakarta, said some parts of Nias and outlying islands were still hard to reach.

"We have available enough relief items in the country after the tsunami... now it's more a question about how to bring it in."

(China Daily April 1, 2005)