Time was running out for anyone trapped in the rubble of a devastating earthquake and tsunami in Indonesia on Wednesday, five days after disaster struck, while increasingly angry survivors waited for an aid operation to move into high gear.
The official death toll from the 7.5 magnitude quake that struck the west coast of the island of Sulawesi last Friday stood at 1,234, many killed by tsunami waves triggered by the quake.
But officials fear the toll could soar. Most of the confirmed dead have come from Palu, a small city 1,500 km (930 miles) northeast of Jakarta, and losses in remote areas largely cut off since Friday have yet to be determined.