Strong aftershocks rattled earthquake-devastated Nias island today as international aid flowed in and rescuers pulled survivors out of collapsed buildings.
At least three tremors rocked the area off the west coast of Indonesia's Sumatra island; one of them measured at 6.3 on the Richter scale, causing alarm as rescue efforts and body recovery operations entered a third day.
Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was due to arrive on the island for an overnight stay later in the morning.
"Aid has come, there has been some progress," mayor of the island's main town, Gunungsitoli, told reporters. He said hundreds of Indonesian soldiers on the island were doing rescue and body-recovery work.
French firefighters pulled a woman from the rubble of her home alive in the early morning, more than 48 hours after the massive 8.7 magnitude quake struck on Monday night.
A contingent of Australian medics had also arrived on the island. Three Singaporean Chinook helicopters ferried the worst injured off the island to the Sumatran mainland.
As many as 2,000 people are feared to have died and many more are believed trapped under the rubble, according to Indonesian officials. A UN statement said some 500 were confirmed killed.
"That number is expected to rise," said the UN deputy humanitarian coordinator in Banda Aceh on the Sumatra mainland.