Officials at Indonesia's social affairs ministry say that more than 4,900 people were known to have died, while other reports put the death toll at more than 5,100.

As an immediate response to the disaster, the Scouts Care Task Force of the Gerakan Pramuka National Headquarters, sent five scout leaders to Yogyakarta, one of the areas most affected by the earthquake. The Chairman of Gerakan Pramuka, Prof Azrul Azwar, the Vice Chairman, Scouts Care Task Force Chairman, Parni Hadi, and the Secretary General of Gerakan Pramuka, Joedyaningsih, give full support to the five scout leaders. In addition, the Gerakan Pramuka NHQ has sent an ambulance with a medical doctor who is also a scout leader.

The five scout leaders will coordinate with the Scouts Care Task Force in Yogyakarta Provincial Scout HQ. The task force in Yogyakarta was initially formed to anticipate the eruption of Mount Merapi, near Yogyakarta. For the last three weeks, there have been several small eruptions prompting the evacuation of people living near the volcano. The Gerakan Pramuka Task Force helped with the evacuation process but is now on hand to help the victims of the earthquake.

Around Indonesia, Scouts have joined the relief effort by collecting money and materials to help the survivors. More than 200,000 people have been rendered homeless in the aftermath of the devastation and in the district of Bantul, 70 to 80 per cent of houses have completely collapsed, as have various large buildings, including the public hospital.

United Nations aid agencies are due to meet in Geneva today to plan humanitarian relief for the country.