Rescuers comb rubble on quake-hit Indonesian isle

GUNUNGSITOLI, Indonesia, Wednesday (Reuters) Rescuers and survivors combed through the rubble of collapsed buildings on Indonesia's quake-devastated Nias island at dawn on Wednesday after a night of rain and aftershocks.

At least 1,000 people were killed by Monday's huge quake which hit this island famed as a surfing paradise, flattening parts of its main town, Gunungsitoli, according to officials. Rescue and body recovery efforts have been hampered by a shortage of fuel and poor weather following the magnitude 8.7 quake - which came just three months after a Dec. 26 quake and tsunami left as some 300,000 people killed or missing around the Indian Ocean.

Monday's quake sparked fear across the Indian ocean region that another tsunami would strike, but initially panicked residents of coastal areas have returned to normal life. "The main problem now is logistical issues.

It is very hard to move the victims," said T. Rizal Nurdin, governor of North Sumatra province. "It is like the situation in December.

There is no logistical support like fuel," he said, adding that three Singaporean military Chinook helicopters were expected to arrive later on Wednesday. Local police could be seen heading towards the town centre in a truck on Wednesday as dawn broke."We are going to find bodies," said one officer.

Rain overnight added to the misery of thousands of survivors sleeping in the open because of fear regular aftershocks would bring down more buildings.

The United Nations and other international aid agencies have rushed relief workers - many already in the region because of the Dec. 26 tsunami - to disaster-hit areas.