INDONESIA CALLS OFF QUAKE RESCUE EFFORT

       Indonesia called off the search for survivors in the quak-hit city of Padang yesterday as officials sought to contain the risk of disease caused by thousands of trapped bodies.
       Local officials and foreign specialists who rushed to Indonesia's Sumatra isalnd after Wednesday's devastating 7.6-magnitude earth-quake said the aid effort had swithced to relief and rebuilding.
       The United Nations has said that at least 1,100 people were killed in the disaster, but estimates of the final toll range up to 5,000.
       "The effort to find survivors in Padang was stopped last night but they are still going on outside Padang," Indonesian disaster management agency spokesman Priyadi Kardono said.
       Swiss Rescue spokesman Michel Mercier said that his 115-strongteam was packing up and preparing to go home.
       "Nobody from the teams weknow found a survivor, unfortunately. We recovered six bodies," he said.
       Foreign aid and emergency teams continued to pour into Padang, bringing tonnes of vital medical supplies, drinking water and food for the tens of thousands of people made homeless by the quake.
       rubbe in the city of 1 million people on the west coast of Sumatra island was being scoured for the vast number of bodies interred in the wreckage.
       Police helicopter pilots said that driving rain was hampering missions to ferry supplies and medical equipment to remote villages that have been obliterated by landslides.
       Health officials said they were racing against time to prevent outbreaks of disease cause by decomposing bodies and a lack of clean water.
       "There is a concern that dirty water supplies can spread skin disease and other kinds of diseases. Flies on dead bodies can also spred bacteria to people," Health Ministry crisis centre head Rustam Pakaya said.
       Most buildings have been damaged or completely destroyed, including hospitals and schools.
       There were signs yesterday that the city was taking its first tentative steps on the long path to recovery.
       Restaurants were reopening and teachers said they were trying to resume classes. "I have been ordered by the governor to open the school again today, but only 60 students came out of 800," Padang teacher Karmila Suryani said.