Indonesia quake survivor says saved by a coffee

By Razak Ahmad

PADANG, Indonesia (Reuters) - An Indonesian earthquake survivor described on Wednesday how buying a coffee during a hotel training course he was attending almost certainly saved his life.

Ghazali, 28, had been taking part in a training programme with 40 people held by insurance firm Prudential at the historic Dutch-era Ambacang hotel when the quake hit the coastal city of Padang on September 30.

The trainee insurance agent, who is now staying with relatives, said he briefly left the hotel to buy a coffee in a cafe 300 metres across the street because drinks in the hotel were too pricey for him.

"I sat down and the hotel collapsed," he said, adding that he had been too shocked since to tell authorities he was safe.

"It is still a traumatic experience and I just haven't gotten around to it," he explained.

He added that as far as he was aware only one other person from the Prudential training course had survived.

Asked about how he felt about the earthquake and his escape, the university student said: "This is merely something that god has decided upon."

Rescue teams have been trying to extract more bodies at the Ambacang and one official said he believed there were about 80 left, some in the ruins of the pool but most in the lobby.